December 18 The Only Talk In Town

Jagdish Bali

(The writer is based at Kumarsain, Shimla)

Aur fir athara ko kiski sarakaar bana rahe ho bhai – whatever be the place, whoever be the people, this is what they ask each other nowadays apart from saying good morning or good evening when they meet. As December 18 is only two days away, the beep of the EVM is once again being felt not only in the ears of the candidates but in the ears of the common folks also which will complete its crescendo on that day.

Freezing cold of December, notwithstanding, the political fever seems be defeating it. Be they walking on the mall, taking coffee in any restaurant, sipping up tea in any dhaba or journeying to some place, none forget to remember the December 18, the day of elation for many and doom for others at least for five years.

Labourers, babus, teachers, engineers, doctors, businessmen, bureaucrats or industrialists – for all this date and the outcome is the chalk talk. No village chaupal or rendezvous in any corner of the state is untouched by it. They count and recount the votes polled to their candidates from different segments of respective constituencies and declare them winners.

When some other come out with some different or opposing data, this chalk talk even erupts into high sounding arguments and in their emotional gusto, they are betting and putting many things at stake. Some have already put their moustache at stake promising to shave them off if their candidates lose, some have vowed to drink water from the shoes of the opponents while others bet a definite amount of money. In this scenario, even those having very little to do with politics can’t help saying some words as to who is winning or losing.

With the day for counting of votes is nearing more and more, the candidates in the fray are feeling the heat of it even in the chilling winter. Submerged in worries and tension, their hearts have started pounding. The unprecedented long wait after the poll conjoined with the uncertainty of the outcome is now becoming breath taking for them.

In such situation, blood pressure may go either way – it may shoot up or dip down and doctors say both the conditions are not good signs from health point of view. Though outwardly making lofty claims of their victory, yet in the core of their mind they are apprehensive of the defeat also. Some even are hoping against hope whether they would be able to save their esteem by avoiding the security forfeiture. The exit polls seem to have given oxygen to many though temporarily while those shown as trailing are expecting the outcome otherwise. Who wins and who loses will be decided by the beeps of the control unit (CU) of the EVM on the much awaited date of 18 December. Many losers will own responsibility and resign referring to moral grounds which they rarely possess. Yes of course, many are ready to kick the EVM branding it as hacked because an embarrassed cat scratches the pole.

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