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Ballot Field

The battles of the ballot have been often the pièce de résistance of politics. And at times this dance of democracy can get dangerous than the usual spice of politics. Battles of the Ballot are often fought ferociously. We all know about Senator Biaka-Boda of French West Africa.  The Senator, representing his native Ivory Coast, was keen on winning in the Ballot Field yet again. A former witch doctor, he wanted to prove to his electorate that he cared for them and therefore travelled in January 1950 to the remotest parts, encountering a cannibal tribe. This section of his electorate saw that the Senator was pretty sincere about their survival and needs and therefore they ate him for supper. Most tales in this Ballot Field section of www.penmarks.com may be slightly less sensational than the witch doctor's fate, but will have enough spells, charms and incantations which the potent magic of Indian electioneering features. Akalis fought Cong, BJP won February 28, 2007 Last time when Prakash Singh Badal sat in the Chief Minister's office at Punjab Civil Secretariat, a huge... Post-ballotting,  it is time to take stock February 14, 2007 Now that the balloting is over, sanity will hopefully return to Punjab which has spent several weeks listening to inanities... Smooth, peaceful, meaningless, and 72 per cent February 9, 2007 Chandigarh: In the season of assassination of sanity, abuse masquerading as election campaigning... Political revolution in Malwa heartland as Bardhan clasps Daljit Bittu The blazing red banner formed an unmistakable background for a communist stage, and with the hammer and sickle... Congress, Akali spin doctors rummage through history to find garbage May 6, 2004 Boorishness masquerading as newly-researched history. Below-the-belt attacks quoting misdeeds allegedly done by the rival’s forefather.... Poor Bhattal! Over 200 years later Mehraaj still swears by its Maharaja May 5, 2004 Forefather of the Patiala royals and founder of the Phulkian Misl’s fortunes Ram Singh, whose ancestors hailed from Mehraaj village, was engaged in warfare with the Bhattals in early...    It’s all about talk, big talk: Aawaz-e-Punjab talks in villages about his talking skills in Parliament But in Ferozepur, it is free style May 3, 2004 Ferozepur was never on the border; the International border came to live next to it in 1947. For a neighbour, an international... Mr Politician, have a glass of water here May 3, 2004 "Are you here to find about cancer deaths?" Villagers in this dusty sprawling stretch have handled so many politicians, doctors and scribes swooping down on them... ‘Restore our votes, this time we will use them as promised’ April 25, 2004 His name Ghuggu is not something the 17-year-old will tell you proudly. But this is the only name he has. “marasi han ji main (I am a marasi), his unhesitatingly... Ghaggar roars in Patiala seat as Preneet tries to win on river front April 22, 2004 For decades has Ghaggar river flown unquiet in this land royale, swelling up to swallow lands, crops, cattle and men with unfailing regularity... Dusty Malwa ricochets as a loose cannon Jagmeet Brar takes upon gunman Zora  Sukhbir transcends panth to embrace secular idiom April 22, 2004 Battles Titanic are now playing to full houses across the Malwa heartland – in Faridkot, legacy holder of  the top Akali, seasoned in politics for over a half-century, versus a... Lambi gets three choices, but does it have any? February 9, 2002 "Parivar kinna wadda hai? (How big is your family?)" I ask a 35-year-old Amarjit Singh in village Channo and pat comes...

     
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