Hopping from one television channel to another, they appear on various news channels almost every day. Smart, savvy and articulate; they can be seen arguing passionately on prime-time TV debates- fervently advocating the party agenda, vehemently browbeating the rivals and accusing the opponents in television cross-fire. Many of these ‘argumentative Indians’ are motor-mouths who can speak non-stop, sometimes defending even the indefensible.
Yes, you have guessed it correctly .They are the party spokespersons, the media-face of political parties on television channels. All through the year they are visible on the news channels making a high decibel noise to prove their point, and with almost a fortnight to go for the last phase of the general elections, their visibility has gone up and the noise shriller.
It is indeed shocking when high profile party spokespersons switch to the parties they had been bashing. In this election season we have been witness to quite a few crossovers by party media persons. Earlier Congress spokesperson Tom Vadakkam switched allegiance. Recently another high-profile Congress media face, Priyanka Chaturvedi, left the party on the issue of her self-respect being at stake as the party reinstated the ‘lumpen goons’ but the next day she left every one stunned by joining a party known for a diametrically opposite ideology.
Of course, there is nothing unusual about the merry dance of defections that gets intensified during the election time. Governed by the a simple mantra- no permanent friends or foes in politics but only permanent interest –in run up to elections scores of politicians all across the country belonging to different political parties have switched parties for political gains. You may view it as opportunism, but for them it is nothing but pragmatism.
In fact, it is no longer shocking to see politicians hopping from one political party to another for a better deal, but certainly not easy to accept somersault by high profile party leaders and spokespersons. When they take a U-turn, you realize how hollow their arguments have been – mere rhetoric, no substance. One day you see them as party hard-liners and the next day you find them soft-pedaling for another party .Obviously, you are stunned. You keep wondering how it is possible for anyone espousing the values of a particular party to cross-over to a radically different party in the opposition. But then, politics is the art of impossible and a true politician the one who perfects this art.
(Published in momspresso on 4 May, 2019)
You described very well the politicians of recent times. Their standard of argument is at the lowest ebb. They stoop so low that one feels ashamed watching and listening to them.
Absolutely Mrs Rahi . I can’t agree more on this . Thanks for reading with interest and giving your feedback .