Politics of convenience

[Image source]

Let the picture not deceive you, their smiles notwithstanding. The pundits in the capital will assure you this is an aberration. The bonhomie is a casual occurrence; its core is empty and lacks conviction.

What is striking in the picture is how the left and the right can be so immaculately specific even in casual appearances! They don’t hold each other’s hands but certainly do so through intermediaries.

There are other specificities.

Take for example the red pullover worn by Comrade Gurudas Dasgupta or the greenish shade of Madame Sushma Swaraj’s sari. Did those happen by accident? Perish the thought!

Our politicos are too careful to be picture perfect in public view. Why, isn’t Comrade Dasgupta standing to the left in the line? And Madame Swaraj to the right? It’s a different matter that the public view them exactly opposite to their standings!

Coming to standing, it’s a common knowledge that the 3 Yadavs squeezed between the left and the right stood on shifting sands. For, let the women’s reservation bill come up (which may be pretty soon), and you’ll see them screaming at the top of their voice protesting the likely emergence of bal-kati mahilayen.

As I said in the beginning, let not the picture deceive you. There is much more colored divergence than convergence in Indian politics than you imagine.