Gammat Rao and Elections

  

Gammat Rao            stands  for Elections     by  Dr. C. Manohar  

                Elections are announced and I am excited to participate as a candidate from  my Gammat Party. My party is not big, but these days it is the small parties that control the government.  I called a meeting of our party and told them how important it is for us, though not necessarily for the nation, to participate in this election and get elected. First thing is to find a cause which would catch the immediate attention of the media and the people. My party members being very sharp, immediately came up with several suggestions.such as Corruption, FDI etc.,. But these were ruled out finally as these had already been taken up by other parties. We should pick up some original topics, I thought. One of the bright suggestions that was made was for the naming of a road as Gammat Rao lane. I liked the suggestion very much since this would leave a permanent land mark in history in my name. I immediately agreed  to this wonderful suggestion before there was any scope for further discussions in this matter to which my party members nodded their agreement, obviously. Next, we discussed the modus of operation. I suggested that we meet next morning on the road, invite the media and photographers, after giving them to a tea party on the previous day and install at the entrance of the road my statue with my name embossed on it in golden letters. Every one appreciated the idea but for the timing. Then, finally after much discussion, it was agreed unanimously that the time for the 'opening ceremony'  be shifted to the evening because the road is normally used in the mornings for "other" purposes. It was agreed as an important point. Then a draft was drawn of the announcement to be made in the newspapers not forgetting the most important appeal for donations – in cash only. In return, we would be providing internal security to all the donors – at least till the elections. Then, several committees were appointed allocating various responsibilities to each of them. I also insisted that a good sculptor be selected for making my statue, that is, he should be one who knows how to make statues which should look natural and realistic.

           One day prior to the important day we had arranged a dinner party  for the media at a five star hotel requesting them to give a good coverage for my election campaign. Before the drinks were served, we made sure that they had assured us to abide by the promises they had made to us.
         Next day, I arrived at the venue in the evening by a special, chauffeur-driven 'mercedes' car, while my party members kept shouting their election slogans. I was surprised to see the opposition party members there squatting on the road side – they had obviously changed the timing of their normal morning duties to the evening shift that day!. I immediately hurried to the place where my statue was kept all polished and ready being covered up in a silk shawl. With the sculptor standing by my side, I removed the shawl from the statue as all my party members burst into a sudden applause. It was indeed a beautiful statue strongly resembling me but one thing that puzzled me was that my right hand was clutching my nose!. The artist explained to me later that he had been asked to make it as realistic as possible!!