Bull's Eye

The assembly elections have thrown up many winners. Let's focus onsome outstanding ones.

Prime Minister Vajpayee scored a significant victory. By getting the BJPdefeated he disciplined all his allies. They have been warned to fall in line or face amid-term poll in which they will be trounced! This could prolong his government'stenure. As for what happens in the next Lok Sabha polls—who cares, he will not becontesting!

Sahib Singh Verma and Madan Lal Khurana scored spectacular victories.They worked very hard to win. By daily meeting the press while refusing to meet the publicthey ensured in the end a total victory over the BJP. Now let Sushma Swaraj stew in herown juice.

But Sushma Swaraj won too. Amidst the BJP debacle she won her ownassembly seat by over 2,000 votes! This was a major achievement. Before the polls she hadtwo options: to serve in the Central cabinet or continue as Delhi's chief minister.Now she'll have three options. She can serve in a lame-duck Central cabinet, becomeleader of opposition in the Delhi assembly, or get a lucrative Bol-lywood contract. HerOscar-winning performance before TV cameras as she swore on the Bhagwad Gita that she'dnever met Romesh Sharma brought tears to many eyes. Bollywood producers should be queuingup to hire her.

Home Minister L.K. Advani proved that he was indeed a modern SardarPatel. His relentless campaign against the enemy buried for all time the All India BharatCongress. By his stunning exposures Advani decimated the political career of the party'sfounder, Romesh Sharma. Of course the Indian National Congress couldn't be defeatedanywhere. But you can't win 'em all.

Sonia Gandhi also recorded an amazing victory. She overcame the BJP'sstar campaigner. The star campaigner for the BJP was of course Mani Shankar Aiyar. Expertsfeel that had he been allowed a couple of weeks more as the Congress spokesperson, SoniaGandhi would surely have lost. However, these are the ifs and buts of history.

H.S. Surjeet, Kanshi Ram, Laloo Yadav and Mulayam Singh all scoredimpressive victories. They successfully marginalised their own candidates to ensurevictory for the Congress. It is true that in the bargain they themselves were wiped out.But what the heck, they defeated the BJP, didn't they...?

Eeny meeny mina mo,
Let her come,
let him go!
After all, they're both the same—
'Cause that's the name of the game!