The Party meet that failed to take the man on board by Puneet Rajhans

The Party meet that failed to take the man on board

At Mahadanapuram as i wait for the public transport that would transport me to KKRI, a Tamil guy wants to familiarise me with the environment around. I settle for this round of conversation by suggesting him that i would respond in the language best understood by a large majority here. He is quite offended by the sight of goons and guys going to mark their attendance for a private-cum-public rally of the ruling party. Explaining his dilemma, he went on to elaborate on how he made innumerable visits to the party office with the plea that he should be taken under their fold. "Sir, the experience has been traumatising enough since none of the visits led to my membership in the party and i resigned to the fate of running a motor workshop."

As the bus began to move, he even showed the workshop on the way where he slugs it out day in day out, seasonal viruses and floods notwithstanding. His innumerable visits reminds me of my two failed visits to Nagercoil in the past 12 hrs to understand the depth and deepening bond between the party and the cadres. Probably the bus stuffed with the greying crowd won't settle for giving space to someone who wants to have the first hand account of the Dravidian histrionics. Quite intimidated by their train of thought i disembark and prefer to wait for the return journey in the company of a Tamil and other souls from neighbouring states. Probably the innumerable visits to the party office and the red and black flag that he failed to carry along that marred his chances to his membership aspiration. Here between Nagercoil and 20 kms away there are no less than 10 million red and black party flags and other cutouts, banners and billboards of big booming and greying leaders which aim to keep the party alive for a period that is yet to be put in black and white. Against the tsunami of cutouts one discovers the odd outing of a big hoarding explaining in detail the exemplary punishment that would be handed out if one dares to carry plastic cups and carry bags in the state of Tamil Nadu. Since the rally meant to arrest the diminishing returns of leaders and their followers would see in plenty the appearance of these plastics in all shapes sizes and colour, what could be the best argument that the party can put forward. THe party honchos could claim that since it is a public rally meant to awaken the public of our need to stay and bite together, the ban on plastics is entirely uncalled for. Probably for these public rallies where speeches are long and the longevity of the leaders yet to be defined, the plastics get a new lease of life with their mass usage by the masses. Had the Tamil guy who has been shunted to the world of motor workshop had a frail association with plastics, he could well have an outside chance of making it to the party establishment with the firm instructions to engage in the insider trading job, which he can hardly lay his hands on given the low returns the workshop provides.

As the commute gets over, i think of hitting another state with another public rally that would give me a fair idea of who all can get on board when the employment avenues are shrinking by the day given the conflicting reports on growth projections (probably it would be tamed sooner than later) for the future. As for the public transport, this time round i would settle for a mini taxi that would have a party cadre at the wheels.