Those
three gentlemen entered the hall almost simultaneously. There was still some
time left for the counting to begin. Ultimately “it’s not the voting that is
democracy; it’s the counting. (Tom Stoppard)
The gentleman who led them was bubbling with
confidence. Dressed in spotless white starched kurta pyjama with a
saffron coloured jacket to boot, he was a picture of confidence. Hairs neatly
combed, moustache trimmed and clean shaven- all added to his brighter look. One
of the officials present there dared to seek his identity. “Don’t you see this
saffron jacket?”- He replied with an air of haughtiness. “This is the Modi
jacket. I am his candidate from this assembly constituency”. He went around
wishing his agents who were present there to monitor the counting. It appeared
from their gestures that a result for them was a foregone conclusion and it was
only a matter of time before they could begin their celebrations.
The gentleman who followed him was dressed in a
crumpled kurta-pyjama and a Grey coloured jacket (or had it lost its
brightness due to prolong use?). He spotted a vermilion tikka on his
forehead and had hawai slippers. It surprised everyone when he
introduced himself as the official AAP candidate. He was a picture of sobriety
and somberness. It appeared as if he was virtually carrying responsibility of his
whole constituency over his shoulders- so grim was his face.
The third and the last gentleman, the official
Congress candidate, had defeat writ large on his face even before the counting
had begun. Dressed immaculately to the occasion
he appeared listless and least concerned about the outcome among the three.
The Returning Officer ordered the counting to start once
the clock struck eight. The first round was a close affair. Each of these three
candidates was close on each other heels. It appeared it would be a tough
fight. The second round increased the difference between the AAP and BJP
candidate, with the Congress candidate surprisingly pitching in between these
two candidates.
The saffron clad leader and his agents kept assuring
each other that their luck may smile once the counting for the village areas and
the area falling under MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) comes up. He was the
only one among the three candidates who had arranged a sumptuous breakfast pack
ordered from “Bansiwala” (a retail outlet specializing in sweets, snacks
and confectionery) for his agents. The AAP agents alike their leader had
nothing for their breakfast. It appeared the Congress was bereft of any agent
at the center.
The margin kept on increasing in the subsequent
rounds as counting progressed for the third, fourth and the fifth round.
Counting for booths falling in the village area increased this difference
further. The nadir was reached when this gentleman got least vote in the MCD
area. He could not resist cursing the MCD, ridiculing their officers to take
shelter in neighboring Chhattisgarh or Madhya Pradesh on deputation, to save
themselves from the AAP’s crusade against corruption. Did he imply the
neighboring state of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh was a safe haven for a
corrupt government servant? The gentleman did not realize the folly of his
statement and it only reflected his immaturity as a leader.
By the time the seventh and the eighth round of
counting concluded, this gentleman was showering choicest expletives on his
poll managers and he left the scene in a huff, without even waiting for the
rest six round of counting.
The AAP candidate maintained his composure till the
last round and kept his flock in good stead throughout. He was a picture of
resilience and endurance. The Congress candidate hung around till the end
expecting a last minute turnaround which, to his misfortune, did not happen.
The first had banked upon his leader to help him
sail through. He failed miserably and stood third after the final tally. He was
a perfect picture of a follower and not a leader. The second had put in all
effort to wrest a victory which otherwise was a Congress bastion. His fortitude
and leadership qualities paid him and he was declared winner. The third was
morally down and was merely completing a formality, even though he stood second
after final round of counting. Had he and his party fought it emphatically he
stood a fair chance. The fourth was the invisible NOTA (None Of The Above).
Incidentally, barring the fourth, the rest three belonged to the Krishna clan.
(As
retold by my colleague who was deputed for counting duty in the recently held
Delhi Assembly elections)
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