Elections galore

"Thaaththa," Bindu Udagedera asked, "have all the elections ended now?"
"Why, Bindu?" Bindu's father Percy inquired. "Why are you worried about that?"
"I thought yesterday's elections would be the last," Bindu said.
"And why would you come to that conclusion?" Percy queried.
"Why, thaaththa," Bindu said, "there were so many elections in recent months and I am confused as a result of that."

"Why do you say that, Bindu?" Percy wanted to know.
"Why, about two years ago we began to have the provincial council elections."
"Ah, yes," Percy said, "I do remember that."
"And they were held one or two councils at a time," Bindu recalled.
"And with the Blues winning election after election, the Greens started to fight among themselves more and more," Percy observed.

"And then there was the presidential election which Mahinda maama won," Bindu remembered.
"And even though the General lost that election, a general election followed three months later," Percy declared.

"Then there was a round of local government elections and they said that the elections could not be held in some areas because of the Cricket World Cup," Bindu said.

"Then they held another round of local government elections but said that there was no need to have elections in certain areas because they would be controlled by a special authority," Percy pointed out.
"And then we had yesterday's elections where elections were finally held in those areas," Bindu said.

"But you should be happy about all these elections, Bindu," Percy advised.
"Why is that, thaaththa?" Bindu asked, "I always thought elections were a nuisance because everyone got distracted by them and no real work got done as a result."

"But, Bindu," Percy protested, "elections are essential for democracy and people would be complaining even more if all these elections were not held."
"I suppose so," Bindu conceded, "and they do have their advantages."
"What advantages are those?" Percy was curious.
"Why, thaaththa, had we had a few more elections, we would have had airports all over the country," Bindu said.
"How could that be?" Percy was puzzled.

"Why, thaaththa, during this election campaign, Mahinda maama first promised to build an airport in Kandy and then promised to build another one in Nuwara Eliya," Bindu remembered.
"That is true." Percy said, "and then there were other exciting moments too."
"What excitement was that, thaaththa?" Bindu asked.
"Why, there was all that talk about a public debate between the candidates for Colombo," Percy recalled.
"But thaaththa," Bindu said, "that debate never took place."
"Of course, Bindu" Percy said, "in our country, it is fashionable to challenge your opponent to a debate during an election."

"But what about the debate itself?" Bind demanded.
"Then," Percy explained, "it is equally fashionable to give some excuse not to have that debate."
"Then thaaththa," Bindu said, "if there were more elections, our country would be left with no walls."
"Why do you say that?" Percy wondered, "is it because all the walls are plastered with ugly posters?"
"No, thaaththa," Bindu said, "if there were more elections they would demolish all the walls in the cities saying they wanted to make all the cities beautiful, like they did in Colombo."
"And I am sure the politicians like all these elections too," Percy said.
"Why is that, thaaththa?" Bindu inquired.
"Why, Bindu," Percy pointed out, "they get free publicity whenever there is an election."
"I suppose you could say that," Bindu agreed, "because if not for this election, someone like Uncle Milinda who was defeated at the last general election would have been forgotten by now."
"And the elections also provide an opportunity for all those politicians who want to cross over to a different party to do so," Percy declared.

"So much so that the list of the Blues in Colombo looked greener than the Green list," Bindu agreed.
"Then," Percy observed, "because of these elections, people like Uncle Ranil get a lot of exercise that they may have never got otherwise."
"How could you say that?" Bindu wanted to know.
"Why, Bindu," Percy declared, "during the past few weeks, Uncle Ranil must have walked around in so many places in Colombo that he never knew about before."
"I suppose that is true as well," Bindu conceded.
"Then," Percy remembered, "because of these elections, there is always that little bit of scandal as well,"
"What scandal was that?" Bindu demanded.
"Why, Bindu," Percy said, "there was all that talk about one candidate being involved in a billion rupee bribe."
"Yes, indeed," Bindu remembered
"So, thaaththa," Bindu said, "what you are saying is that everyone seems to like elections, no matter what political party they belong to."
"Well," Percy said, "now elections in this country have become like a cricket match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh."

"Why do you say that, thaaththa?" Bindu asked.
"We all know who will win but we still cheer and watch the match anyway because it has its exciting moments and it makes us forget all our other problems for a short while," Percy explained.
"But thaaththa," Bindu pointed out, "every now and then, Bangladesh has won as well."
"They have, have they?" Percy asked.
Bindu didn't know quite what to say to that.