Friday, May 01, 2009

25 April/ Of Patna and polls

I reach Patna at 2 am. On my way to the hotel, I find a lot of people on the streets (during the previous regime the streets used to be empty by 8 am as kidnapping was rampant). After checking in, I ring room service for some food as I am famished. To my horror, I am told that the room service serves only till 11 pm and the only food that I can be served is toast and omelet. The waiters in Patna have an annoying habit. They believe that tips are a matter of right, even though the service is atrocious. I believe this has been due to the victory of Lalu’s social battles. However, this hotel has a surprise stored for me. Since I work for HT Media Ltd, they offer me a 20% discount. I am thrilled about my contribution to the cost cutting exercise.
An old friend has arranged for the appointments in the capital. The political parties in the fray are busy tom-tomming their achievements. While the JD (U) and BJP have made development their plank, caste is something that they can’t afford to ignore. Keeping that in mind, the tickets have been given to those whose community or caste has a sizeable population in a particular constituency. Nitish Kumar is being hailed at the master strategist as his caste kurmis (agriculturists) only comprise of 1.5% of the Bihar’s 50.5 million voters, still he holds the reigns. Turning the development versus caste debate on its head, BJP state president, Radha Mohan Singh says, “While the educated people vote on caste basis, villages vote on the development issue.”
The political parties are trying to manage a different type of menace. It seems that the money, which is being spent on cornering votes, is not reaching the real voters. I am sitting in the Lok Janshakti Party’s office. There is a lot of anger in the office as a majority of party workers, who had taken money for campaigning and for distribution among voters have used it for their personal benefit. A case in point being a worker from Patna, who has only distributed Rs50,000 as against Rs2 lakh given by the fund managers. A fund manager who by his looks also serves as muscle, issues a veiled threat. “I am keeping an eye on everyone. Let the elections be over…”
While having a late lunch, I realize that Patna has become a melting pot of people coming from different parts of the country, as the state has a lot to offer to entrepreneurs. On the next table is a group of middle-aged gentlemen speaking in Tamil. I ask my neighbors about their work in the capital. They are setting up a coaching centre in the city for MBA and IAS aspirants. On another table, I hear two college going kids abusing each other and the world at large in chaste Punjabi.
Courtsey Live Mint

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