The Fifth Column

24th October 1999

Better early than never

"Thaaththa," Bindu Udagedara asked, " what is all this fuss about an election?"

"Why, Bindu", Percy, Bindu's father said, "Satellite has surprised us all…"

"Why do you say that, thaaththa?" Bindu wanted to know.

"Why, she is usually late and always believes that it is better late than never but she has called for elections early…"

"But thaaththa, that is only to be expected…" Bindu argued.

"Why do you say that?"

"Why, thaaththa, in this instance she knew that it is better early than never…"

"Why do you say that?"

"Why they say that if she waited for some more time she may not win again?"

"And," Percy asked, "what makes you think that she will win even now?"

"Well," said Bindu "I'm sure she must be confident…"

"At least" said Percy, "her astrologers must be confident…"

"Yes" Bindu agreed, "in this country even if everyone says you will not win re-election you tend to believe that you will win if an astrologer says so…"

"And that partly explains the mess the country is in now…" Percy observed.

"But thaaththa, what do you think will happen?"

"Well, the usual things — posters flooding the city walls, some newspapers and television stations stepping up their propaganda and then the candidates slinging mud at each other…"

"And who will contest?"

"We all know the real fight is between the greens and the blues, Bindu…"

"But they say the reds will also contest…"

"I think they will and they may win a good share of the votes too…"

"But who else will run, thaaththa?"

"Of course the usual also-rans will be there, doing their best to lose their deposit…"

"What do you mean by that?" Bindu wanted to know.

"Why there are those who wait for a presidential election to get some publicity for themselves. I think some of them like the Vasudevas, Kumars and the Boomiputhras will also be there…"

"And who do you think will win, Thaaththa?"

"What matters is not who will win, Bindu" Percy observed.

"Why do you say that?"

"What matters is what happens after that" Percy explained.

"Why is that?"

"Why, the general elections will have to follow and the chances are that whoever wins here will have to form a coalition government where they might be a minority…"

"Isn't that good, thaaththa?" Bindu wanted to know.

"Why is it good?" Percy asked.

"Why thaaththa, then the President will have all the powers but he or she can't do anything because she won't have an absolute majority in Parliament…"

"That's exactly what I'm worried about, Bindu" Percy said.

"But what's there to be worried about, thaaththa? That will be a good way of controlling the President…"

"But then," Percy argued "the President will also have to give in to all the demands of all the smaller parties because then he or she will need their support in Parliament…"

"I think it will be very democratic," Bindu said.

"Yes" Percy agreed, "it will be democracy with a new definition…"

"And what is that?" Bindu wanted to know.

"It will be a government of the minority by the minority for the minority…" Percy said.

Bindu did not know what to say to that.

The Jungle Telegraph

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