(Here comes the Elections again)
Some things that will come around again with the elections.
1. They will suddenly remember you again and will come once begging on your door for your votes saying ‘Kiniki ase? Sop bhal ase na?Bhishi din lok panay ho,kile ghor tebi kitiyabi nahey na?’
2. All those grumblings about bad roads, poor power-supply, non-payment of salaries and countless false promises etc. becomes silent and inaudible and will be forgotten once again for sometime.
3. Many will start thinking he/she is the most important person to the candidates or a party to make any important decision for them .And for sure they are going to make you feel like one.
4. Our national workers declaring once again that they will not participate in the Nagaland puppet state Indian sponsored elections but they seem to forget this declaration once the election fever sets in and become the king-makers and canvassing for votes with two similar voices from one mouth, a soprano of goodwill and a lower baritone of a gun threat on the other. Everyone seems to be more responsive to the baritone one.
5. Councils, colonies, clans and party meetings etc. become the most important event of the season. Free meals with pork, cigarettes, tamul-pan with bonus of adulterated Mc Dowell rum and whisky from nearby Assam are available aplenty and many folks at home need not cook for those heroes/heroines at home during this season.
6. Almost all the defunct and hitherto unknown party unit workers becomes the most important and the busiest self important persons.
7. The gates of the political leaders are wide open 24 hours now, no sentry or guards questions you anything about your coming and going. You can go in or go out anytime you like. Their houses are now multi-purpose homes to gambling, drinking, dormitory, feasting, meeting venues and prayer halls.
8. The Hong-kong markets and the New markets in Dimapur will be buzzing once again with countless shoppers buying new shoes, jeans, clothes, mobile phones, sun- goggles,hats etc. Hotel rooms are booked house-full with customers without any luggage but checking only with playing cards, liquors and party girls. Next to Christmas, this is the most hectic business season and profitable time for businessmen. No wonder you can often hear the miya shopkeeper saying ‘Ayaa,hudai election thakile kimanbi bhal ho.’
9. All money in the banks and treasuries are empty with salaries delayed, bills postponed, payments deferred but who cares as long as your pockets are “gorom gorom”.
10. Some famous and most popular lines during this time ‘I have these much men with me, I can convince those people to vote for you, I can bring those people to you’ etc. are some famous lines during this time.
11. The local dadas and the neighbourhood hooligans are all having the time of their life…….with good pocket money, free booze and ride around the town uncountable times for some slogan shouts, what more can you want? This is life for them.
12. Now it’s the time for any Tom who is Hairy and got a Duck to call the shots. Those politicians will pick up your phone calls anytime, anywhere (even if it is some bloody unknown number) at midnight or before daybreak and they now obey you like a trained bull-mastiff .
13. Demands and agitations starts with new vigour .Also nameplates of party designations shown full out on all vehicles hogging the roads.
14. The people whom you considered dumber and useless seems to be more important and smarter than others during these time.
15. After the elections are over once again, the gate remains closed, forget about going inside but you feel uneasy even to be nearby the gate because the guards will chase you away like some stray dog. The only time you see him will be on the newspaper being a chief guest at some event or on a road wheezing by with his escorts breaking all the traffic rules .No he doesn’t remember you anymore or doesn’t even care to know.
You sold yourself again for another five years, what right do you have now to say anything or grumble about? Just grin and bear it. For your folly all others are suffering too.
The cycle goes on but we never learn……..!
Think carefully and vote wisely.