5th Column

She will do to the Reds, what she did to the Greens
"Thaaththa," Bindu Udagedera asked, "who will win the election?"
"I wish I knew…" Bindu's father Percy said, "that depends on what you listen to and read…"

"Why do you say that?"
"If you read and listen to the government media you may feel that the Blues and the Reds will win with a large majority but if you listen to the others you may feel that the Greens will be back…"

"But, thaaththa," Bindu said, "I don't think it is quite correct to describe a section of the media as 'government controlled'…"
"Why," Percy asked, "are you suggesting that they are impartial?"
"No," Bindu said, "but if they are government controlled, they should be supporting the Greens because, after all, the government is still Green…"

"But we can't call it the 'Opposition controlled' media, can we?"
"Then," Bindu suggested, "maybe we should call it the 'Satellite controlled' media…"
"How could you say that when Satellite has shown us that she is so free and fair in all her decisions?" Percy said.

"Is that why we have a government which has lost control over the armed forces, police, the media and now even some of the lotteries?"
"But Bindu," Percy asked, "isn't that wonderful?"
"Why do you say that?"

"Why, instead of one party having unlimited power over every institution in our country and abusing that power, we now have someone watching over them and limiting their activities…"
"I disagree with that, thaaththa," Bindu said.
"And why is that?"

"Because," Bindu argued, "we now have two parties having unlimited power over different institutions in our country and are trying to outdo each other in abusing that power…"
"And that should be three parties, really," Percy said, "if we are to count the Reds and Blues separately…"

"That is the other big question, thaaththa," Bindu said.
"What question is that?"
"How will Satellite deal with the Reds even if she forms a government with them?"

"That shouldn't be a problem for her," Percy said, "JR would have been proud to achieve what she has achieved in the past few months in destabilizing her rival political party…"
"So, what do you think she will do with the Reds if she wins"

"If she wins, she will do to the Reds what she did to the Greens," Percy said, "she will take over their ministries the moment they get out of control…"
"But thaaththa, you still haven't answered my question," Bindu said, "who will win the election…"

"That is really difficult to predict this time around…" Percy said.
"Why is that?" Bindu wanted to know.
"Usually the side that Anura and Dinesh are in, are the losers," Percy said, "that has been true for the last twenty five years…"
"Then, Satellite and the Blues and the Reds should lose and the Greens should win…" Bindu said.

"But, Bindu," Percy cautioned, "there is another factor…"
"What is that?"
"The side that Ronnie is in also loses and this has been true for the last fifteen years…" Percy said.

"And Ronnie has now joined the Greens…" Bindu realised, "so, the Greens should lose too…"
"So, someone has got it wrong, this time around…" Percy pointed out.
"I just hope," Bindu said, "the voters don't get it wrong this time…"
Percy didn't disagree.

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