….election results are being counted. it looks like a nail biting finish. The BJP is trailing the Congress in an election they called 5 months before schedule.

Gujarat seems to be making up for its vote in the assembly elections and the Congress is leading. Wonder whether the people of Gujarat finally realised the impact of their actions last year. Analysts say that Modi’s virulent, personal attacks on Sonia drove away many voters.

I guess in the final analysis, India lives beyond its metroes where things are shining - and the people voted on issues not on hype.

This story was related to me by an old Congress hand, a TV and film actor. He acted out this scene for me when we were working on a project together - his acting was definitely more engrossing than my recounting.

Indira Gandhi was assasinated, and Rajiv Gandhi’s congress swept into power with the largest mandate in history. Rajiv went about systematically isolating the old guard. One of the key players left out in the cold was one Mr.Dhirubhai Ambani.
Mr.Ambani moved heaven and hell, and yet he could get no meeting fixed with the Prime Minister.
Now Rajiv Gandhi used to have a darshan outside his home everyday before he drove off to his office. This was where he met party workers, petitioners, ordinary people. Mr. Ambani - the head of the mighty Reliance - stood outside the PM”s office as a humble petitioner.
When the Prime Minister left his home, Mr.Ambani approached him with his hands folded - and pleaded for 15 seconds after which he would never approach the PM for anything again - unless asked. The PM graciously consented.

And then, said my friend with an actor’s dramatic pause - Mr.Ambani played his Brahmastra - he said “your mother has left your inheritence with us - i just wanted to know what to do with it send it to the party, send it to you, or a swiss account…. it is 30 crores (in those days 30 crores was an amazing amount of money). And then my friend concluded with a dramatic flourish - Mr.Gandhi smiled and invited Mr.Ambani to drive with him to the PM’s office.
I don’t know if this is urban legend or fact, i would still like to believe that the early Rajiv was honest. But, it illustrates a point - the Ambanis’ will always be on the winning side.
So when last night, before votes were counted, when Mr.Anil Ambani called on Mrs. Sonia Gandhi - one presumes that it was not to discuss the monsoons. I wonder whether he repeated his fathers’ lines:)

It wasn’t the lies that damned them - when they said they were a progressive party but continued supporting the RSS line on implementing ManuSmriti

It wasn’t the damned lies that damned them - the crocodile dears on Gujarat, the message that minorities are safe with them.

It was statistics that did - the growth rate, the inflation, the India shining campaign - the gloating, smirking faces day in and day out - statistics backing up lies and damned lies