The Indian political commentator is a curious creature. Taking warm oozy comfort in platitudes that fit like snug blankets even when it is 45 degrees outside.
Sample some standard platitudes that fall like mulch manure – No. 1, the voter is all wise. Really! Replacing corrupt, to the gills and nepotistic M Karunanidhi with Jayalalithaa with her rather enduring record of corruption is sagacity on the voter's part or plain desperation at the lack of choice?
And, after nearly four decades in West-Bengal - government fatigue and voter disenchantment are not state secrets to which our babes in the wood commentators are not privy to. And, while celebrating the demise of the Left with riotous joy why are they yet to ponder the track-record and lack of coherent ideology of Mamata Banerjee, who is supposed to transform all of West Bengal into a Garden of Eden. Incidentally, an international test in the Eden gardens would also be an achievement worth punting for.
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Our dear political commentators, who would not be caught dead near the common or garden voter, need to stop this kind of patronizing drivel about politicians who are in throes of glee that such analysis would actually perform.
Pundit truism number two is about attacking and reviling the middle class (people like us biting in to people like us) who do not vote hate universal enfranchisement and want revolution via SMS.
Reading this particular piece of drivel irritates me to irrational levels since unlike the limousine liberal class, I do actually, like lakhs of middle class people, queue up for hours to vote.
Attacking Anna Hazare. It is sad that thousands of trees have perished for newsprint as our commentariat suffused with rage at the great challenge that Anna, if they are to be believed, represents to democracy as we know it. Hence the plants, the nudge nudge wink wink comments.
And, finally they cannot even see the paradox in the re-election of Tarun Gogoi or Nitish Kumar. Voters like to see what they are voting for. A nebulous dream leader picked by and servile to the Gandhi dynasty will not work in Uttar Pradesh despite all the hard work done by Rahul Gandhi.
With elections less than a year away, have our dear commentators who have been working themselves up in apoplectic fits over Anna bothered to analyze who is the leader that the Congress will project against Mayawati or are the voters just supposed to stamp the good intentions of Rahul Gandhi.
Jagganmohan anyone?
(The views expressed by the author are personal)