We took a semi-private room with seating on the clay floor. Parekh-ji's security
staff sat outside, near the puppet show for kids. Their guns made the guest's
importance known to the waiters and insured us good service. Within minutes,
we had two dozen dishes in front of us.
'Eat, and don't get so sentimental about politics. Emotional speeches are fine,
but in your mind always think straight,' Parekh-ji lectured Mama.
We gorged on the dhokla, khandvi, ghugra, gota, dalwada and several other
Gujarati snacks. I felt full even before the main course arrived.
'Now, listen, Parekh-ji said as he finished his glass of mint chaas, 'things are
not as they seem. Hasmukh-ji's defeat has a back story. We expected it.'
'What?' Mama said while Omi, Ish and I made valiant inroads into the food.
'Hasmukh-ji's seniority in the party earned him a ticket. But he is part of the
old school. The same school as the current chief minister. Our high command in
Delhi is not happy with them.'
'They are not?' Mama echoed stupidly.
'No. We might be a Hindu party, but it doesn't mean we preach religion all day
and do no work. Gujarat is a place of business, it is not a lazy place. The high
command did not like the way the administration handled the earthquake. People
lost a lot in that, I know you boys did too,' he turned to us.
We nodded. The mention of the earthquake still hurt.
'The by-elections for these seats came as a boon. The old school put their
candidate. We knew they were weak. Of count, hardworking people like Bittoo
tried their best But, a dud candidate is a dud candidate. So we lost both the
seats. With the main election in twelve months, the entire party machinery is
shaken up. And the high command finally gets a chance to make a change.'
'What change?' Mama said.
"They are replacing the chief minister.'
'What? For losing two seats?' Mama said, 'the total number of seats is...'
'A hundred and eighty plus,' Parekh-ji said as he broke his bajra rati, 'but like I
said, it gave a reason to change. And Gujarat is vital to our party. We can't afford
to lose it.'
We gorged on the dhokla, khandvi, ghugra, gota, dalwada and several other
Gujarati snacks. I felt full even before the main course arrived.
'Now, listen,1 Parekh-ji said as he finished his glass of mint chaas, 'things are
not as they seem. Hasmukh-ji's defeat has a back story. We expected it.'
'What?' Mama said while Omi, Ish and I made valiant inroads into the food.
'Hasmukh-ji's seniority in the party earned him a ticket. But he is part of the
old school. The same school as the current chief minister. Our high command in
Delhi is not happy with them.'
'They are not?' Mama echoed stupidly.
'No. We might be a Hindu party, but it doesn't mean we preach religion all day
and do no work. Gujarat is a place of business, it is not a lazy place. The high
command did not like the way the administration handled the earthquake. People
lost a lot in that, I know you boys did too,' he turned to us.
We nodded. The mention of the earthquake still hurt.
'The by-elections for these seats came as a boon. The old school put their
candidate. We knew they were weak. Of count, hardworking people like Bittoo
tried their best But, a dud candidate is a dud candidate. So we lost both the
avery
(avery)
#1