If you dig a hole.. you’ll have to lie in it...

The religiously inclined might argue that Varuna, the rain-God seems better disposed to lazy politicians than the people. The more practical would suggest that the government is keeping a close eye on what the Met Department says, knowing fully well that it will buy them time as they contemplate the mess the roads have become. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who took a long-pending trip around the city, enthusiastically promised to have all the potholes fixed. He has since amended his words, saying that potholes more than two feet deep will be fixed first. The repair work will take place soon, he promised. His promises always come with a sub-clause. “It will be done immediately… but after the rain stops,” or “It will be done immediately but only if it’s more than two-feet deep.” Meanwhile, Bengalureans grow angry as their vehicles become mired in muddy roads or stranded in potholes. Our politicians must be economical with their apathy – if they dig a hole, they will have to lie in it!

In high spirits

Poll A JD(S) election campaign took a spirited turn when an inebriated man, who was invited up on the dais to shake hands with party leaders, refused to get down again. Police and security officials had a tough time coaxing him off the stage. People dozing their way through elections campaigns is a fairly common sight these days, as alcohol is an important part of the proceedings. The assumption is that those with the added fire in their bellies will clap and cheer along to political speeches. While it’s true that a few people enjoy the rhetoric more when they’re a little drunk, many tend to fall asleep instead. The lucky ones get chairs, the rest are content with sprawling on the ground. At the same JD(S) rally, a television camera panning the scene found a man happily asleep beside the dais. Alert party workers quickly spotted this, lifted the man and moved him to a more discreet location.

Shh! No slogans

Political rallies always come with their own version of a Greek chorus – the freelance voice artists who never tire of saying their leader’s name. They do, however, misfire from time to time. One enthusiastic crowd was shushed by KPCC President D.K. Shivakumar, who was met with cries of “D.K. Boss, D.K. Boss,” (clearly they didn’t think that one through). A visibly irritated ‘D.K. Boss’ threatened to have them thrown out of the venue if they continued but softened eventually, granting them permission to shout slogans in favour of the Congress big guns, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. Since the sloganeering took place in the presence of AICC General Secretary and the Karnataka in-charge, Randeep Surjewala, as well as CLP leader, Siddaramaiah, D.K. Shivakumar, always a diplomat, knew he had to put a stop to it immediately. One question remains: Are these sloganeers stage-managed or are they truly impromptu?