Political Marriages : By ideology or for convenience

They say, marriages are made in heaven and you get a partner you deserve.The tradition said, you choose your partner as per your compatibility, beliefs and dreams with family blessings. 

Indian politicians and their alliances are just like those marriages but are made on earth. Every 5 years, they rejuvenate themselves and start searching for a partner to get into relations which sometimes are more complex than any normal couple.

We have seen so many political marriages in recent years which were sometimes blessed but mostly were for the sake of convenience . 

Few interesting marriages are enlisted here of 

1) Shivsena-BJP :

A couple in a love-hate relationship with very high egos and on the verge of seperation.

As moment of parting ways comes closer,they realise and reignite their eternal love for each other and decide to keep their marriage intact to live happily ever after.

Example of qualified married couple.

2) JDU-BJP-RJD-BJP

After 17 years of successful marriage, one of the partners figure out personality issues in marriage to fall in love with an old foe turned friend.

Second marriage and divorce cost huge alimony and ultimately culminated in marrying the first partner again.

Example of confused couple.

3) Cong-SP :

After failed relations and broken hearts, two people come together and instantly realise they are made for each other and new Live-In relation blossoms only to falter in few days of togetherness.

Example of failed Live-In couple.

4) SP - BSP :

An estranged couple not even bothered to see each other for years realise marrying again is a better option than spending life in oldage homes and in wilderness.

Example of a couple who never knew they were made for each other.

5) TMC with Congress and Communists :

Hate triangle makes them poles apart and they don’t realise the worth of family members (Aam Janta) who have always supported them. Family gets tired of their hypocrisy and plan to ditch them.

As soon as the reality of loneliness dawns, the couple starts showing affection towards each other.

Example of couple who shows love for each other in public and hate each other in private.

6) AAP with Gathbandhan :

An unmarried man/woman with high confidence and no commitment realise that there are more smarter brides and grooms. 

Fear of getting dumped makes them ready for compromise and willing to marry anyone.

Example of bride/groom who overestimate self potential and end up getting married to anyone who is willing to enter a nuptial knot.

Last but not the least,

7) Congress with Gathbandhan/Mahagatgbandhan :

An over enthusiast who has the habit of proposing anyone and everyone but always gets rejected or is kept waiting without answer.

There is no couple here, only an eternal bachelor who can not get married.

Disclaimer: The blog is a satire on the current political tie ups and coalitions. It does not propagate any party or alliance. Neither does it comment on the policies of political parties and should be read as a farcical situation only.

All posts on this blog are the works of Jayawant and any unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without the express and written permission of the author is strictly not allowed. You may use excerpts and links or repost this material provided that complete and clear credit is given to the author and with clear directions to the original content.

Image courtsey from pinterest 

- Jayawant

Wasim Jaffer: A committed and consistent opening batsman

India has always been blessed with opening batsmen who made an impact on Indian cricket with legendary Sunil Gavaskar being the epitome and benchmark for the opener’s slot. The tag of the most complete batsman by Gavaskar was always impossible for anyone to breach.

Post Gavaskar era, many stalwarts graced the opening slot with ample consistency. Sehwag, Gambhir, Dhawan contributed immensely to the game with their flamboyance, sheer talent, and gave a festive atmosphere to the spectators. However, when the temperament and compactness of any opener is discussed, Wasim Jaffer is probably one of those batsmen who can match the Little Master’s appetite for runs and technique.

Jaffer has been one of the most compact openers to play for India. As an opener, one needs to build an innings depending upon the team structure, opponent’s strengths, pitch behaviour, weather conditions and most importantly self-preparation and confidence irrespective of dip or rise in the form. Opener defines the course of Test match during the innings he builds.

Wasim Jaffer showed his class very early in his career when he scored 314 not out against Saurashtra in his second match of Ranji Trophy as an 18-year-old boy. With consistent domestic contributions, Wasim Jaffer made it to the Indian team in the year 2000. 

Being in and out of the team till 2006, Jaffer finally made it to supreme form when he scored his first Test hundred against England at Nagpur and then came with two major milestones of his international cricket with one the most deserving double centuries worth 212 against West Indies in Antigua and then, against arch-rivals Pakistan at Eden Gardens, produced 202 in 2007.

Wasim Jaffer went on to play 31 Tests for India and probably deserved more. His career saw him score 5 test centuries and 1944 runs in Tests. He played his last match in 2008. 

Though out of the international arena, Jaffer never lost his appetite for runs and has been amongst runs all these years in domestic tournaments. He has all the domestic records against his name having scored more than 11,000 runs in Ranji Trophy and is one of the most consistent performers of all times. 

After helming the mantle of Mumbai opening batsman till 2015, he moved to Vidarbha Ranji team. Vidarbha was always considered to be one of the weaker teams in domestic tournaments. However, fortunes seemed to have changed for Vidarbha in the last couple of years with Wasim Jaffer and coach Chandrakant Pandit proving to be tremendous mentors and major contributors to Vidarbha’s rise as domestic champions.

After spending more than two decades, representing India with and winning 10 Ranji Trophies as a player, one would have expected Jaffer showing some signs of decline in hunger for runs. However, he still carries the same enthusiasm of a teen, energy of youngster and commitment of a true professional even at the fag end of his career. He is a true idol for any youngster who wants to make a mark on the game.

Wasim Jaffer is celebrating his 41st birthday today and we wish him many more years in cricket and as a true mentor for generations of the cricketers to come.

Wasim is a true legend and deserves a big bow today.

Priyanka Gandhi : Rise on the horizon or another addition to dynasty ?

Finally after years of wait in the hope of teenager Priyanka taking plunge and learn nuances of politics at an early age, Congress ultimately got a readymade senior statesman (woman) as RaGa announced his sister’s entry in Politics couple of days back.

Congressmen find so much of charisma in Priyanka that the leaders who were way above their 40/50s when Priyanka was a teenager have immediately correlated with her as their leader and are eagerly awaiting for her guidance in their political battle and survival.

One can look at this complete scenario as dynasty which in a way is absolutely true, however we also need to look it from the perspective of capability and competency of others who happen to call themselves national leaders of age old party.

With due to respect to Gandhi family, enough opportunities were available in the party for leaders to stamp themselves as an authority. Those who had the guts and self belief either put their feet forward or drifted away with likes of Sharad Pawar, PA Sangma and to an extent of Arjun Singh and firebrand Mamta but failed to make any national impact.

PV Narsinmharao as Congress-Led Prime Minister had taken some control of the age old party with Gandhi family in oblivion but as has happened always in India, good governance was beaten in ballot to handover central government to HD Devegowda. This hibernation was enough for old loyalists to bring back Gandhis to forefront  making dynasty charge come true.

In last 25 years, post 1996 elections, the leadership scenario for all National parties has kept changing. Communists have swapped hands from Jyoti Basus to Yechuris to Karats but no dynasty. Backroom Karyakarta like Modi reached top of the hierarchy from an unknown status to Prime Minister of country. 

However, most of the regional parties are primarily formed for the benefit of self, families and loyalists rather than any ideology and at the max look for interests of their own state and will never change their modus operandi.  

The big question then arise why does dynasty prevail in Congress? 

1) The primary root cause lies in the fact that Gandhis had reached smallest of households of India since the Nehru era and continued till Indira Gandhi. The media was never strong like today or was biased enough to ensure no other side was projected for years.

2) The leaders with party had no say in running the day to day to affair or had vested interests not to challenge the leadership.

3) The assumption was quite clear, instead of fighting for top role, let the leadership be with Gandhis and get plum portfolios as reward for keeping quiet and loyalties.

4) Those who had the guts, were either shown the door, cut in size or made to run central blessed state  government. This ensured no leader was elevated or projected enough at national level and message was clear to remain in size.

5) To build a party of own or raise a voice, one needs an  ideology and selfless contribution towards a cause. Both these qualities meant, establishing yourself at risk of losing out power and leaders preferred to play second fiddle instead of rising for self or the people.

With Gandhi as brand, comes the aura and most importantly failure is never challenged which for sure has hampered the party as leaders prefer to say yes mam or yes sir.

Time and again it has been proved Gandhis do not need Congress but the party and its leaders need Gandhis for their own survival and unabated continuance of power.

India needs a healthy democracy but for that leaders need to rise above vested interests, think for the country and work towards building the nation. 

A new leader is always welcome and time will prove Priyanka’s real caliber and potential to decide whether it’s a new rise on the horizon or just an addition of dynasty.

Till then we will remain in illusion of “जनता सब जानती है|” (“Janta Sab Janti Hai”).

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Disclaimer : The blog is personal opinion and does not intend to comment on internal working of any political party.

Image Courtesy : PTI 2019

Sun Storm in Napier

Game of cricket came full circle today when the first ODI between India and New Zealand at Napier was stopped for sometime on account of unplayable heavy sunlight.

Cricket has seen umpteen interruptions due to rains, bad weather and we have also witnessed stoppage of match due to desert storm in Sharjah during Sachin era but today was the first time, match had to stop due to sunlight.

Though the root cause of the problem was something to do with position of pitch with respect to direction of Sun, It would be really interesting to see how it can impact the game in the long run if such conditions reoccur.

The way the game of cricket is played, it has always been a batsman paradise but when it comes to weather conditions, even today’s situation favored bowlers. One can safely say that the weather decides who will dominate game of cricket whether batsman or a bowler

On a lighter note one wonders, how a situation like today’s can change the way game will be played in future :

1) Before going for toss, captain will look into weather conditions and decide to bowl if it’s going to be a hot sunny day ahead.

2) The innings would be declared to bring in the opposition right at the threshold of Sun getting on top of the field and glaring at batsman.

3) Day ODIs would change the way its played currently and captain will opt for first batting irrespective of swing conditions fearing sun would come on top during the second innings.

4) The teams for years have taken decisions to bat, bowl or accelerate based on weather conditions and it seems they now will have to plan something for the sunlight as well.

5) The ICC will have to look into Duckworth-Lewis rule and make some amendments, considering the weather conditions and will have to include runs scored during pick of heat by the team batting first.

Nonetheless, it was one of unique experience for the players as well as spectators and hope this is not repeated and the respective boards ensure such standoffs are not repeated in the future.

Ultimately Kohli’s boys had the last laugh and India are 1-0 ahead in the bilateral series.

Disclaimer : The blog is personal expression on the weirdest of situations happened in game of cricket and does not intend to comment on the rules of the game.

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- Jayawant

Khul ja Sim Sim or Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas !!

Once upon a time there lived a poor man named Alibaba who worked hard in life and remained a simpleton all through his life. One fine day he found a cave which opened only after talismanic words “Khul Jaa Simsim”. Alibaba kept visiting the cave and every time he came out, he looked more powerful and happy.

A bunch of incompetent thieves who were observing Alibaba, thought the cave had huge treasure inside and wanted to grab the magical cave and become rich, famous and most powerful.

After years, the story of Alibaba repeated today in Kolkata. A group of 23 leaders from across states came together with the intention of capturing incredible place called India.

The magical treasure of India is like that Alibaba cave. The leaders who came together are aware of the magical words “Khul Jaa Simsim” which they feel can take them through voters mind and give them the treasure, secured dynasty and grab the power for a long time to come.

However, with times the cave which was looted for years has changed its internal structure and it now consists of all the glory, fame, power, poverty, corruption, bureaucracy, infighting and struggles for basic necessities of life.

With change in times, the cave can also be opened by two magical words either “Khul Jaa Simsim” or “Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas”. 

The choice remains with us as the first one assures only treasure, but not for everyone whereas the second one if taken in true spirit has the power to change the way the country looks. It will still be with all problems but there always will be a shimmer of hope for better days to come.

It’s upto us whether we want to go by “Khul Jaa Simsim” or “Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas” , both create magic with different beneficiaries.

Disclaimer: The blog has no pun intended and does  not aim to justify or crucify any of the politician or political parties. Choice remains with every individual what he/she deems fit for him/herself.

- Jayawant

Rahul Dravid: The Wall Of India

As ‘The Great Wall of India’ turns 46, its time to revisit one of the most glittering careers in Indian Cricket. Rahul Dravid, a leader, a selfless contributor and a legend who personified the way game of cricket is played, taught and inspired for the younger generations to come.

Dravid as a teenager debutant at Lord’s made it a point to make sure that the world of cricket takes a notice of him. He slowly, steadily and without any fanfare built a career which served Indian cricket for a long time. As core of the “Fabulous Five” of Indian cricket, Dravid held together many a innings and roles and was one of the most important pillars of the team who immensely contributed to the laying of foundation of world beaters called ‘Team India’.

As a batsman, he was a most consistent rock, as a slip fielder, he had the safest pair of hands and as a captain, he was one of those focused ones who lead India to memorable victories in Caribbean in 2006 and England in 2007.

Dravid was all about timing, whether ensuring a century at Lord’s in his final appearance after missing a debut ton or calling it quits in ODIs after England tour or realising the chinks in batting during Australia tour to bid adieu to test cricket in 2012.

However, the real Dravid has evolved post his retirement. He chose a profession which not many would have ventured into. In his role as a winning coach of Under-19 World Cup 2018, he not only enthused the young bunch of cricketers but also inculcated a professional approach in them to clinically register one of the most one sided Under-19 World Cup tournaments.

Dravid has been a true idol and a real coach for any youngster who wants to learn how to manage own career and passion. As a coach one has to understand that each child is a special talent and has an independent capability and let the youngsters know their true potential and not get carried away with peers having flamboyance, zeal and that extra attitude of going over the board. Dravid has handled it seamlessly very well.

As a coach of Under-19 team, Dravid is phenomenal in a very short tenure. The players coached by him have made it to senior team and players like Prithvi Shaw and Rishabh Pant have proved their mettle in international cricket at a very early stage of their careers. The way Dravid keeps his greatness aside while dealing with youngsters who were not even born when he started playing shows his simplicity, professionalism and integrity towards building a future of Indian Cricket.

A true legend who performed at all levels, contributed immensely to the game and always remained elusive when it came to grabbing the headlines, Rahul Dravid, it’s time for all of us as cricketing fans to say a big ‘Thank You!’ for what you did for Indian Cricket.

P.S. The expressions in the blog reflect the author's appreciation of the legend Dravid and is only a personal viewpoint.

Celebrating a genius on his 60th birthday : Kapil Dev

One of the youngest ever captain to lift the cricket World Cup for India, Kapildev Nikhanj turns another major milestone as he turns 60 today (6th January 1959).

Kapil is a true legend and one of the most inspiring and towering cricketing personalities of all time. The jat from Haryana chose a completely different path when rest of the country was producing champion spinners. It was only Haryana Hurricane’s exceptional guts and talent which probably paved the way for youngsters opting for fast bowling in India.

Kapil was handed over the reins of captaincy in 1983 World Cup at a tender age of 24 when India created history to overpower the might of West Indies at Lords in an epic final almost 36 years ago.

The World Cup journey had started with a shocker defeat of West Indies by Indians which was treated as a fluke and then Zimbabwe almost ruled India out of the World Cup but thanks to Kapil's heroic 175 not out, India managed to stay in the tournament and then there was no looking back till ruling at Lord’s in the finals.

An inspiring captain always brings out the best from his team and that’s what happened in the World Cup and instead of big players performing, it was the turn of Roger Binny, Madanlal, Krishnamachari Shrikanth, Balwinder Sandhu and the super hero Mohinder Amarnath and never to forget one of the most amazing ground catches which Kapil took of Sir Vivian Richards made India achieve one of the most improbable victory which changed the way the world looked at Indian Cricket and a new super power was born which also meant start of a decline of the Windies which they are yet to recover.

Kapil was in an era when the world could not decide who was a better allrounder in Ian Botham, Richard Hadlee, Imran Khan and Kapil. However what made Kapil stand apart from them was the playing conditions which were offered to Kapil. Bowling with his heart out on spin friendly but dead fast bowling pitches and then come out to bat to take the game away from opponents with aggressive batting needs a true genius and that was Kapil.

Kapil in his hey days was a fearsome allrounder and who can forget few of his memorable performances like 9/83 against West Indies at Ahmedabad, 5/43 against Australia in 1983 World

Cup, hitting 4 consecutive sixes to Eddie Hemmings against England at Lords and finally overtaking Sir Richard Hadlee as the World’s leading wicket taker.

The man with a golden heart was Indian coach and during his tenure one of the biggest controversies in match fixing erupted when a fellow cricketer named Kapil in the scandal. The episode made Kapil cry on a National Media and the scar probably took him away from the game for a considerable period of time.

Indian cricket has come a long way since Kapil retired, but the contribution he made to the Indian dressing room, gave belief and confidence to take against any team and be fearless in any adverse situation will have imprints on the way Cricket is played in India for a long time to come.

Let us celebrate the genius of Kapil on this important day and may god bless him for years to come.

P.S. The blog intends to celebrate birthday of one of the most inspiring Indian cricketer of all times and does not get into statistics and analysis of the cricketer. 

- Jayawant