The Tamasha

I enjoyed every moment of it ! For two days I was hooked on to ibnlive and ndtv - keeping a track of the trust vote and theprojections for vote splits. Like most Indians I do not understand the finer details of the nuclear detail. Neither do I believe that we require the deal to secure our energy sources. If the government tries to curb distribution losses and also the theft of electricity I am sure that we will be able to satisfy our energy demands. If we crack down upon the coal mafia, we might be able to extend our reserves by some more years. New deals cannot be a substitute for inefficient use of resources.
But then, I wanted the government to survive. It had done nothing spectacularly bad to warrant its removal. The economy was growing and by and large there was status quo as far as most of the indicators were concerned. By signing the deal, my country's sovereignty was not being compromised ( I understood that part ). The general elections were due in little less than a year's time where the Indian electorate would showcase its amnesia. Right now, I want stable governance, I want actions to curb inflation and I want some real economic reforms. If the government had lost the trust vote, it would have meant nine months of bickering and communist overdoses. I was amazed to see how a faint ray of seeing her Prime Ministerial ambitions getting fulfilled galvanized Mayawati into action !
Well, Rahul Gandhi's speech was not spectacular. I do not think it deserved all the praises that it got. Dr. Manmohan Singh spewed venom and I loved it. That man had set us on the path of economic reform and for too long his quiet demeanor was taken as a sign of weakness. I think people underestimated his resolve and what a fitting reply they got ! Laloo was at his lovable best. He has perfected the art of buffoonery and knows how to take a dig or two at hs detractors without being vociferous. He uses humor to inflict sharp wounds - wounds that can only be felt by the victim and not seen by anyone. Omar Abdullah was passionate. He spoke from the heart and I was happy to see him lambasting the 'secular' parties. Wake up people -- the politicians of this country thrive on creating communal divides. They would never like communal harmony - would they ? Wouldn't they lose an effective instrument of garnering votes ?
I am no Congress supporter. But I was happy to see them winning the trust vote. At least it spares me the tantrums of all the Communists and their wannabe allies. And also ensures that I work for the next few months and not track the Breaking News tickers on ibnlive and ndtv.