The Calculator gets it wrong-II:

The Calculator, not a seasoned politician, has learnt his lessons from the fiasco. Sidelining the ‘frame the expulsion letter’ advice given by his conscience, he stepped in to the office of an upbeat political party. This party, short of a few seats, has been steadily marching towards claiming power.

 He had no baggage of claims - saviour of the nation, sole be voice of the poor or dead against industrial establishments. He had no firm ideology except foisting his son and daughter upon the electorate. The party bigwigs saw no immediate threat and decided to take a calculated risk.

The party knew that his dream projects had got him expelled. The party currently was unable to win those seats where the Calculator’s family had built up considerable rapport among voters, contesting. Wins there, the party gains. If not, not a setback to the party. So, with a caveat, that the Calculator will continue to come up with novel schemes, the party admitted his family without any delay.

These developments caught the attention of the local tabloid, some in favour of and some in the negative perspective. His son and daughter, miffed by this sort of oblique coverage, wanted to send a strong rebuttal message. Calmy, the Calculator explained, “It is politics. Positive or negative publicity, both serves the purpose of making you known far and wide. Moreover, it is free publicity.”

The local Toolkit, “Stop the nepo-kids”, sponsored by the rusticated neta did its best to castigate this party that had admitted the tainted trio. The neta hoped for a reprieve and that party which expelled the trio, relented. Unknown to this neta, an urgent kitchen meeting was held to approve his readmission thinking if he wins, a seat is gained and if not, it would be a good riddance for the party.

During the campaigns, the family avoided high-pitch sales and merely pointed out that their ideas, which could have transformed life of the voters, had been hijacked by the party that had expelled them and are now shamelessly using the stolen ideas in constituencies, where his family is contesting. The Calculator’s family, showing street smartness had managed to turn the tables on the opposition party. The voters who were desperate for something new, felt cheated by this underhanded tactic. With beginners’ luck, baked by the apathy of voters, they won the three assembly seats. The enraged voters pushed the 'idea grabber' party’s candidates to the last place, forfeiting their security deposits. 

For lack of clear reasoning, the poll analysts safely attributed these victories to their frequent visits and the brilliant idea of hosting a birthday bash for the unheard of 99-year-old! The new party celebrated this achievement of winning these seats for the first time.  Instead of accepting a ministerial berth, The Calculator requested permission and funds to start at least one new project, in each assembly segment. 

The fund starved state convinced him to use a tract of waste land, for whatever good purpose he could put it for use. The Calculator quickly did a mental math and the offer of nearly 200 acres, though lying waste had immense potential for exploitation. Inadvertently, this offer had handed him a loophole – ‘whatever good purpose he could use it for’, without specifically excluding personal use! 

He deliberately remained noncommittal. The party brasses blinked first and the government decided to gift the land in order to complete the government’s full term. Few discordant voices were raised from the party and the opposition cried hoarse “land chor’. But nothing changed. 

Puzzled, his son and daughter asked why he had taken 200 acres of barren land. Not even grass grows there. "Have you gone out of your mind?" 

The Calculator simply said, “I have a plan. Wait and watch." 

The next day, he called on the minister for animal husbandry and environment (a peculiar combination) and convinced him it would be a good idea to develop a grass land for supplying cattle feed. It would be of great help, if he could also get the small pond and the three standalone ‘butte’. The minister obviously has never heard of a ‘butte’ and what it means. To dispose of his ignorance, he ordered the free transfer of the pond and the three ‘butte’ to the Calculator. Predictably, environmentalists searching for a cause raised some more slogans, organised protest marches and after generating sufficient media frenzy, disappeared without a trace. The Calculator’s son and daughter came running with a concern, “will this environmental thing not affect our political future?” 

He calmly explained, “In politics, as I have explained earlier, publicity of the negative kind is better suited for us and the projects. The environmentalists thought, that they would get the advantage, but managed to handed it to us, unwittingly!” The C M did not think so and called for an urgent meeting to douse the imminent and ready to rage fire. The Calculator came prepared to weather the storm. He had snapshots of the site, displaying “Green Graas Foundation” written in the party colours and lone cow with mouthful of lush green grass. The C M could almost detect a twinkle in the cow’s eyes. The picture had the intended effect - touched his heart and changed his mind, in a matter of seconds.  He ended the meeting with a “Well done, put the land to whatever good use you want to.” 

The Calculator, to make him happy at that moment, after the double endorsement on the end use, , enquired about his family. The C M, in a terse tone rued, “My son and daughter are incapable of making a wave even in the local pond.” The CM, for all his political acumen, could not digest the ineptitude of his kids, to grab power and cling to it. The Calculator made note of this 'chip in the armour' and pocketed it for future use. Mission accomplished, he took leave after a decent interval. After all, he has not earned his nickname for nothing!

To sail smoothly along, he had decided not to burden his conscience with a simple motto - “charity begins and ends at home” over “charity begins at home”. In the course of the next 12 - 15 years, his successful run in politics gathered steam, pushing detractors and Toolkits aside like a tsunami wave. The off-the-hat projects he unleashed through media blitz, kept his detractors and Toolkits in check. The party though wary of his rise, had to put up with it , as it helped in winning more popularity and seats. 

This meteoric rise did not last long and the decisive moment, that was waiting patiently, came to play its hand. The politics in the state took a turn and turned the tide against him, to interrupt his dream-show like an intermission. It was once again the popcorn time for the detractors, Toolkits and investigative journalists. And they happily started munching on the crunchies.

The tabloids led the fall with “His dreams cost us everything”, “if you loot the pot, you lose the plot” captions and the Toolkit groups came up with “confiscate the counterfeit”, “rise and fall, away you sail” protests. This severe onslaught and the negative publicity, shook the very foundation of the party. To save itself from sinking into oblivion, the party promptly expelled the C M, tainted colleagues and the Calculator.

The party held a press briefing, inviting a few international journalists, with pre-paid air tickets and accommodation, along with local journos. The international angle was suggested by a renowned political advisor after charging a hefty fee. Whatever stones the party needed to upended, it did  it, to bury and seal their political career, once and for all.

When the dust settled, the Calculator took stock of his career. He had in possession scores of intimations for court appearances, messages from banks freezing his local and off-shore accounts. The last straw on the proverbial camel’s back was the revoking of his passport. Waiting to rub rock salt into his wounds, some mischievous person from one of the Toolkits, has forwarded a list of high-power attorneys along with their usual fee range.

Like the hot iron getting hammered on the same spot, his silenced conscience broke free and started to have a go at him. It had a list to tick off and it deliberately chose his sleep time, for maximum effect.

“There is a kilometre long allegation against you. Details, you would come to know in the court. The newspapers will splash your face and T V stations will do their best to drown you in panel discussions. Now, would you stand by your earlier statement that your "in politics negative publicity is more beneficial and powerful than positive publicity! Is this your way of painting yourself in glory? 

Continuing it said, “For the Green Grass Foundation, you promised to grow and feed fresh green grass to castles in the constituency, did you keep do it?  Why did you trick the ministerial colleagues to get freehold on 200 acres of land along with some other things? Not stopping there, you involved C M’s son as a front and hurriedly added a subsidiary "Grow Tall" under the Green Grass Foundation? Whom were you trying to play fool with?” 

Is that all? Asked the Calculator. 

No, not at all. You knew, well in advance, where the six-lane highway would be routed and then floated that housing project, am I correct? 

The Calculator meekly replied, "All along, were you not aware of my plan to become a builder of high-rise apartments, and why did not you voice your grumbles earlier?" 

Ignoring him, it continued,” Did not you think about the adverse effect, this project would have on the Green Grass Foundation?" 

Give me some credit here. I had selected the name of the Foundation with foresight! Now the Foundation will continue to function, growing grass around the apartment buildings! 

Irritated, with this casual approach, it retorted, “Only because of this sort of Chanakya dialogues, you got yourself into this stinking mess!” 

“What is this? Your pitch is climbing the scale with every accusation you are making.  Why are you doing this to me now, when I am being hounded from all the sides? You have been with me for decades and am I not worth a bit of sympathy on that account?” 

“Your mention of it, reminds me of the frozen bank accounts, including those offshore ones, with minimum balances that are enjoying sea breeze!” The conscience said in a sarcastic tone. 

“Why you kept quiet, for so long?” 

Truly miffed, it retorted, “How ungrateful of you to talk to me in that tone? I warned you about floating the Green Graas Foundation and Grow Tall venture. I raised my concern about your son and daughter contesting in elections. When you purchased a fleet of buses, did I not warn you, that it will cost you a political fortune? Wherever possible I had raised red flags, lit red signal lamps and fired tracer bullets. You chose to ignore them and after some time I started ignoring you.” 

“Let me explain. I bought a fleet of buses now, for running a free service to the families of the downtrodden, after the next elections and if I become a minister.  Little forward planning was all in my mind at that time. How I could have guessed that the wheels would turn around and hurt me now? What else?” 

“In less than 12 - 15 years of political life, you had docked two expulsions. Are you not ashamed of this dubious world record you have created?" 

“The Calculator asked, “Are you not aware that firing with mortars when the warrior is down and wounded is not an act of “Yudh Dharm”?” 

“You should have factored in all the grandstanding, before committing a truck load of follies. Now, that you have the World records to speak for you, will you answer my one and only question? 

“What is it?” 

“You did not have a seasoned political advisor or a mentor to guide you through the shark infected pool called politics.  Notwithstanding this stupidity of yours, every night did I not raise my concerns, sound warnings and plead for change of course. Due to your own obduracy, all my warnings and concerns went into a recycle bin. Now is your turn, to realise that even in politics, there is no prize for being ignoble." 

“Will you stop the lecture and ask your question?” 

“What made you to think that you would get away from it all, scot-free?" 

The Calculator had no answer but to maintain the age-old, golden silence! Dejected, his conscience joined him for company.