Politics.. The First Refuge of Professionals???

After a bad start and an OK finish Amma is not coming back to rule TN for a second term.

If you happened to be staying in Tamil Nadu, I'm sure that counting-day scenario at your workplace must have been akin to a day when there's an India-Pak ODI taking place. People checking out the latest tally over the internet, flocking around the TV set in the cafetaria and ofcourse the post popular office past-time the chat in the corridor! It also extended to the weekend get togethers with the topic of discussion being the change in government. (Well, for once atleast the tee-totallers could join in, though not necessarily make sense.)

For good or for bad the mood was one of sympathy towards Amma.

The "bhadralok" equivalent of Chennai seem to feel that times ahead for the middle class were not going to be as good as they were during the previous regime. Some expressed concern that the new regime might in someways, affect the relative peace and security of Chennai city!!

All this support for a lady who not so long ago was the pet punching bag for all and sundry.

As is said often, public memory is short..sometimes woefully so. All seems to be forgotten about the firing of the government servants, about the dis-proportionate assets, etc. etc.

Well it's a known fact that politics and crime make convenient bedmates. So why distinguish between types of crime?? Is embezzlement any different from snatching chains?

The issue here is not one of Tamil Nadu alone..the story holds true every where, notwithstanding the fact that Mr. Buddhadeb Bhattacharya was voted back!

Yes, the argument of there being no other options blah blah holds true. But for how long??

The counter-argument is why like minded individuals don't get together and offer a viable option.

The answer probably is "Roti Kapda aur Makaan".

I am yet to see a successful politician who's not from a well to do family. The Milind Deoras, the Jyotiraditya Scindias, the Rahul Gandhi's might be professionals in their own right with their ivy league education. But how many of them prepared for a Common entrance test or had to worry about appraisals at workplace?

Politics is not a nine-to-five job which pays you a salary.Which brings me to the point which I really want to make.

Why can't politics be a career option?

Do political parties not need talented people with myriad skills such as organising events, an understanding of economics and finance, marketing talent to create and execute promotion campaigns, or people with a law degree?

We all agree that politics today is no social work or charity. Why should we un-neccessarily glorify politics and politicians as saints who have sacrificed? Why not make it a profession?

Parties today have enough funds and for sure need talent. So why not start hiring professionals on their rolls? After all, professionals are measured by their performance at the end of the day and if they don't perform you could fire them!!

Breed professionals, grow them within your organisations and reward the performers with tickets to contest elections, for they can perform the task that an MP, an MLA or a cabinet minister is SUPPOSED to.

After all, he who has the itch can scratch best!!

Anybody listening???