Let's
see how they all fare on their own
"Thaaththa", Bindu Udagedera asked, "what will happen
at the election?"
"I think it will be held peacefully and democratically…"
Bindu's father Percy said.
"Are
you sure?" Bindu asked.
"Why, do you have any doubts?" Percy queried.
"Why, thaaththa, how can the election be so democratic when
so many nomination lists have already been rejected and elections
have been postponed in so many areas."
"Ah,
but parties should know to submit their nomination papers according
to the law," Percy argued.
"But thaaththa," Bindu persisted, "elections are
also not being held in the North and East."
"I thought that is better than holding elections there when
people are threatened not to vote…" Percy pointed out.
"Anyway,
thaaththa," Bindu wanted to know, "who do you think will
win?"
"I am sure the best party will win…" Percy predicted.
"And is that Blue, Red, Green or Saffron?" Bindu asked.
"It might be different in different areas…" Percy
suggested, "but it will surely give us some valuable information…"
"And
what information is that?" Bindu was curious.
"Why, we can really see, perhaps for the first time, how much
respect the Blues, Greens, Reds and Saffron command on their own…"
Percy observed.
"Why is that thaaththa?"
"Why,
Bindu," Percy said, "all these parties are contesting
on their own and against each other when they have been contesting
in all kinds of alliances at most of the recent elections…"
"That should be interesting…" Bindu agreed, "because
all of them are claiming that they are the most popular party…"
"Yes,"
Percy said, "the Blues are saying they are the best because
they are the ruling party…"
"And the Reds are saying Mahinda maama is in office only because
of them…"
"And the Greens are claiming they are the single largest party
even though they lost the election…"
"And,"
Bindu said, "the Saffron party is claiming all the credit because
Mahinda maama was able to contest his election last year only because
of their petition in the courts …"
"And
now, all of them are asking us to give the 'gama' to them…"
"And all of them claim they will develop our villages by saying
'gama hadaa rata hadamu'…" Bindu pointed out.
"What they are not saying is that it may well be 'gama kaa
rata kamu'…" Percy said.
"But
thaaththa," Bindu asked, "what about all these people
who are queuing up to join the Blue camp?"
"Well," Percy said, "what can you say about them
except that they may be rather opportunistic?"
"But all of them give a very valid reason for switching sides,
thaaththa…" Bindu argued.
"And
what reason is that?"
"Why, they all say that they were so impressed by the 'Mahinda
Chinthana'…" Bindu countered.
"This 'Chinthana' must be worth its weight in gold then…"
Percy said.
"Why do you say that, thaaththa?" Bindu asked.
"Why,
even that chap who won the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games
is 'Chinthana', isn't he?" Percy asked.
"Yes, he is," Bindu said, "but the Secretary to the
Ministry of Sports says that it is no big deal and that we should
not rush to congratulate him because he will be spoilt by it…"
"Ah,"
Percy said, "I am sure officials at the Sports Ministry have
more important things to do…"
"Like what, thaaththa?" Bindu wanted to know.
"For instance, racketeering in visas to America…"
Percy said.
Bindu didn't want to argue with that.
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