Women on the roll: Amma and Didi

The 2011 assembly elections have been announced. The winds of change seem to have touched almost all states, save for Assam.

So whats so significant about this loss from the previous elections since Independence.

Yes, it is significant, especially for the electorate in Tamil Nadu. For the first time, it appears that the voters were not swayed by freebies and money offered by the then-ruling dispensation.

TVs, cycles, and currency notes, thrown in plenty didn't change the politican fortune of the Tamil Nadu's first family.

THe DMK combine won just 30+ of the seats losing its strongholds down south to the dark horse, Vijaykant, and Amma.

So what are the lessons our politicans need to learn, if any:

1) Right to Information Act has brought the skeletons tumbling out of the cupboard. So next time you want to make a quick buck, think of innovative strategies.
2) Family-first politics is sickening the electorate. It started with an Italian national and has quickly gaining currency among regional parties.
3) Electorate is price-sensitive, corruption-senstive. Any party that takes people for granted, most often faces the boot.
4) A fine balance between agrarian economy and industrialization is the need of the hour, or else parties will be left with nothing, just like the Left in Bengal.
5) Never, never take the television media for granted. Just as TV can help you boost your ratings, so will it bring you down when you are in a deep mess.

Hope this has taught the fools some good lessons. The incumbent chief ministers will be sworn-in soon. New set of ministers will begin rolling in their agenda.

So, does this guarentee better governance? This i guess is something time will tell. Let's keep our fingers crossed for the moment.

Colour Of Money!

How many times have we made a decision in our professional life - a decision in favour of pecuniary benefits over job satisfaction? How many times have we worked longer, harder during weekends, at the cost of quality time with our loved ones? And what have we got at the end of the year - a small perk, a promotion or as in the case of the majority workaholics - just a pat on the shoulder for the job well done? Ask any one, particularly those out of a business school or an engineering college, what his/her dream is, and invariably the answer will be - making money. True, money is an important factor in life, but does life begin and end with just making more money?I have been witness to two extremities vis-a-vis money - of dearth and excess. A friend of mine from a prestigious A-grade business school has a salary which is probably five times of what i earn in my present position. She is out of town 15 days in a month and has everything anyone can dream of - a gleaming Merci, a gardener, a cook - she has it all. But peace of mind, health and social life, none.She is lonely and suffers from umpteen number of health problems - something her Rs 6.5-lakh p.a. salary has been unable to cure or provide a solution. So much for making loads of money? My other friend was my college batch mate. After his degree, he tried a variety of jobs, made bad investments, got married and finally ran into heavy debt. The last I heard from him, he was selling every piece of furniture that was available, to keep debtors at bay. He is afloat now, rather just about managing with his meagre income. In this case it was lack of money or rather the lack pure lack of common sense while investing that brought him all the trouble. So once again we come to the same question, where do we draw the line when it comes to making money? How much are we ready to sacrifice, just to earn a little more? And how do we define the parameters of success in this mad materialistic world that we live in? No wonder success is defined as a "relative term". For some it means going up the social ladder, for others it is climbing the organisational ladder and for most it is just plain - making loads of money. But the bottomline is the same for everyone - money can buy you everything.