In The True Olympian Spirit

It's here the greatest sporting tournament of the world,with all its zest and glory! Welcome to the Olympics 2012,telecast from London to eager-beaver fans.The largest democracy in the world that's us,pals is amongst those jousting,with serious hopes this year to come home gleaming with gold.Its taken a long time but with athletes from Mary Kom to Vijender Singh,Gagan Narang to Saina Nehwal,Abhinav Bindra to Sania Mirza,we finally have a sporting chance at hitting the bullseye.But suppose the Olympics were to feature not super-athletes but our super-politicos,excelling at the games netas play How much more gold we could import back home!

Take fencing.Popularly associated with European swashbuckling,those flashing swords could win us so many medals if only Mamata Banerjee could join in.With all her cuts at the Congress snipping the TMC's partnership to shreds,Didi's clearly a champion fencer.Her handiwork just dazzled us all as Didi slashed at reforming rail ministers (so what if theyre from her own team),cut into little liberties like light cartoons,tore into presidential elections and took challengers comebacks with,as she put it,a heavy hurt.Sorry,heart.

But why just poke at steely Didi the BJPs hot at sporty spice too.The disunited Hindu family can boast of a sterling track record in judo,karate,taekwondo and boxing all amongst its own members.Even as we watch in disbelief,the BJP doesnt seem able to position one heavyweight as prime ministerial candidate for 2014.Its prominent party members are busy fighting each other in the ring.Whos the referee Well,it could have been venerable elder L K Advani except hes trudging that never-ending marathon towards Race Course Road himself.Imagine if at 84,Advani can still pad along the padyatra to be PM,if hed trained as an Olympian,how many miles of glory hed have walked for Bharat Ma.

But none of this is to deny the UPAs sportsman spirit.Of all games,the ruling regime excels at tramping the trampoline,surviving every downward pull to bounce back the next minute.Take multiple Mamata moments,the fast and furious Team Anna,even the latest rough-and-tumble with a Pawar-playing NCP each time it looked like a fall was imminent,the UPA bounced right back.So far,so good,but what remains to be seen is who will win the really big prize,the big momma of medallions,the glitziest gold of them all elections 2014! Will yuvraj Rahul finally pole-vault to a new leadership role or will Narendra Modi win the 100-metre dash While our politicos train for that big leap forward,let the chhota games begin.
Thats the London Olympics,of course.