Since elections in quite a few constituencies are over I decided to visit some of those who had stood for the elections and find out what they were doing, “Where is your husband?” I asked the wife of an independent candidate, who had lost his deposit in the last ten elections he had stood in.

“Busy preparing his victory speech!” she said, a pleased look on her face.

“But he’s never won till now?” I asked surprised.

“He gives the speech to all who voted for him!” she said.

“When and where?” I asked.

“On 23rd May in our bedroom!” she said, “He stands on the cot and thanks me! But this time he’s in for a surprise!”

“Why?” I asked.

“I didn’t vote for him!” she whispered with a pleased look.

The next candidate I visited was busy going round his house instructing a contractor about something, “What are you doing?” I asked.

“I’m making an outer wall, around this wall!” he said as the contractor nodded.

“For security?” I asked.

“No, to store all the bribe money people will now come to give me for something or other. The space between the two walls, will fool the income tax people!” And the contractor nodded in agreement.

I moved away as I saw an army of masons entering and then saw the chief from the ruling party. “How are you spending your time?” I asked pleasantly.

“I am expecting a visitor!” he said with a smile and the next moment a bullet proof car drove up and a dimple cheeked young man got out and walked over to the chief from the ruling party and hugged him.

“You do have a 56 inch chest!” said the dimple cheeked young man.

“And you are not really a pappu!” said the man from the ruling party smiling, “Come let us go in and have a chai. I still make good tea!”

“Whoa! Whoa!” I shouted to the watchman, “Those two are….”

“Yes sir! Yes sir!” said the watchman, “They are just making plans that in case they both don’t get enough seats, they will come together and form a government!”

“But they fought each other tooth and nail and the voters for both were distinctly different!” I said shocked.

“Sir!” said the watchman, “Politics makes strange….!”

“Yes! Yes! I know!” I said, and slunk back to my room deciding not to do any more checking about what the others were doing. I just didn’t want anymore shocks..! 

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