No motion of privilege?
Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh like a good Congressman had come to the aid and assistance of his fellow party men as they struggled to retain their seats and their prestige in the 2013 Meghalaya Assembly face off.
Despite the poor turnout at the meeting site at Polo, the usual and mandatory security rigmarole, whenever it involves the PM was once again enforced at the venue.
So much so that only Congress candidates were allowed on the dais and they too were subjected to strict dos and don’ts of security protocol enforced by the NSG personnel accompanying the PM.
One such don’t was ‘Don’t even move from the seat you are allotted!’
The grapevine has it that one such candidate, a plump and well-fed VVIP in the current political dispensation, developed itchy feet while waiting for the PM to arrive. He rose up to talk to another colleague on the dais. The NSG personnel present instructed him in no uncertain terms to return to his seat. Reminds one of Kindergarden days!
The visibly disturbed Congressman pompously identified himself to the offensive cop to receive a reprimand of ‘Sir, I don’t care who you are. Please return to your seat at once!”.
The chastised VVIP meekly returned to his allotted seat and surprisingly no breach of privilege has so far been issued against the abrasively tongued cop.
One wonders where are all those Breach of Privilege notices of the Meghalaya Assembly, that once upon a time, were issued with such carefree nonchalance?
Missing the musical vehicles and heart-melting songs
The musical vehicles that were used by contestants in the city during the recently concluded election campaign have left an indelible mark in the hearts of the voters.
As campaigning stopped 48 hours before polling, people suffered from nostalgia faced as they are by the sudden silence.
Many could not even sleep. A lady with ear problems (she gets a whirring sound in her ears) was told by her doctor that there is no cure except to listen to music.
For two weeks the song and music of the HSPDP candidate which blared 24×7 lulled her to sleep. Now she has to look for other songs.
These vehicles also created much confusion in the localities.
In a certain locality two vehicles representing two candidates were announcing about roadside campaigns.
A resident who wanted to attend his candidate’s campaign, mistook the venue as the information that was coming out of the two microphones created a cacophony and nothing was audible.
The supporters of both candidates ended up at the wrong venues and boarding the wrong buses, taxis et al. It was confusion worst confounded as they were eyed with suspicion by the supporters of their rival candidate.
Of lies but no videotape
A certain candidate who was desperate to get the attention of the voters in a particular constituency used the most obnoxious gimmick.
He accused his rival of printing money in his own printing press and suggested that, that was the money circulating around. By the way where were the election observers?
Are such blatant lies discrediting the Reserve Bank of India allowed?
The candidate may be a nincompoop but the voters are certainly not fooled by such nonsensical rhetoric?