Power to the parties

India has a unique multi-party political system. Given the diversity of culture, religion and languages, it reflects in politics where there are dime-a-dozen parties in each state. The Election Commission surely has an enviable job keeping track of all these jokers.

Of the entire lot, the most confusing and confounding are the ones in Tamil Nadu. Like the names of people, the names of parties are also tongue twisters. The two main parties are called AIADMK and just DMK. It means All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham and Dravida Munnetra Kazagham. You might think that the DMK probably came out of the AIADMK. But no, it's the AIADMK which was born of DMK. Usually they break out with bigger names to indicate where they came from and what they stand for.

The AIADMK started a trend. Soon you had the PMK, DMDK, VCK, MNMK, PDK, UTEMK, KIP and so on it goes. Obviously, I cannot expand all these abbreviations here since it will take two days. Wooing all these letters are the big sharks; Congress and the BJP. Of course you have the ususal suspects like CPM, Janata Party and BSP also vying for attention. Now you can see how wonderful this scenario is and what a party this Indian democrazy has become.

Jaya, Maya aur Mamata

Indian women represent almost half of the total electorate in the country but do we have as many women in politics? Maybe not. But that doesn't mean they are really under represented. That's because some of the women who are out there more than make up for their missing sisters.

Three faces keep flashing in the media always, come sunshine or winter! They are the Jaya, Maya and Mamata of Indian politics; the queens of Indian politics. They straddle the South, North and East of India and give the men there a run for their seats (literally) besides sleepless nights.

All three have distinct styles; Jaya is suave and sweet (well almost!) in her dealings, Maya is crass and chanakya-like, while Mamata is blundering and bombastic. All these are of course great qualities to have in the guttermasti of rajniti.

And trust me, they have a good grip on the politics in their respective states. The qualities attributed to them are probably only a reflection of their "upbringing" in politics. Strangely enough there are funny coincidences. All three of them had men as mentors. All three of them have their own parties. All three of them are single (and looking)... hello koi hai? All three of them are known to be eccentric in their own ways. All three cannot stand each other. That makes it teen tigada, kaam bigada!

Except for Mamata, the other two have been chief ministers and Maya may even become Prime Minister. Probably it requires a woman to be like a man to qualify for the top post! But time will tell if that happens or not. Till then let's enjoi their antics... chal hawa aane de!

PS: Later we will talk about the Empress who lives in Dilli.