The ‘Panchajanya’ has been blown. The political parties in Kerala are set for another epic battle of Kurukshetra. The politicians have started to reach for every available weapon to seize the right to rule God’s Own Country.
The major fronts are busy preparing the ground before jumping into the battlefield. They are trying to gather all the support and acquire formidable armies behind them.
Hectic deliberations are on to draw up electoral strategies and choose efficient army commanders. The respective leaderships have also been treading slowly and carefully to put up perfect warriors in 140 assembly segments for the May 16 battle.
Now, I’m in a dilemma over which side to join. Definitely there will be casualties on either side. I should brace for heartbreaks as I have friends cutting across party lines. However, I have a clear political orientation, that, I believe, was conferred by or based on inheritance. I have publically revealed it several times that I am a Congress supporter.
I was forced to keep myself away from the film industry for over two years due to some nagging health issues. During that period, I had the ‘opportunity’ to read my own obituaries on social networking sites. When my death was celebrated on Facebook and WhatsApp, there were many kind-hearted people who found time to visit my home to comfort me and help my family stay strong. I am also obliged to those who rang me up to extend support in times of distress.
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and Hibi Eden MLA, who took time off their busy schedule to visit me when I was undergoing treatment in the Amrita hospital; Paravur MLA V. D. Satheesan, who waited for long hours in front of the ICU on a Sunday holding a cheque cleared by the cabinet; M. A. Baby, who travelled all the way from Thiruvananthapuram to Laughing Villa, my home in Paravur, when he came to know about my illness; Kalliasseri MLA T. V. Rajesh, who came to visit me from Kannur, Mammookka, who called my wife and children and instilled confidence in them by saying that they can ask him for any help at any time; Dileep, Siddique, my colleague and the Congress candidate in Aroor, Nadirsha, Kunchan, Alvin Antony, P. Jayarajan, Kummanam Rajasekharan, A. N. Radhakrishnan… the list of my well-wishers is quite long indeed!
I could return to life from the clutches of death, or rather, I was able to obtain an extension of time from the Almighty, due to their prayers and wishes, I believe.
Now, I sincerely wish to campaign for Ramesh chettan in Haripad, for Hibi Eden in Ernakulam, for Siddique in Aroor, and for Satheesan in Paravur.
At the same time, candidates on the other side of the battle field like Kummanam, T. V. Rajesh, ANR and leaders in the rival camp such as M. A. Baby and P. Jayarajan leave me on the horns of a dilemma. Several questions keep revolving in my mind, and I am still hunting for the answers.
Whenever Jayarajettan phones me from Kannur I tell him: “Both of us are staunch loyalists of the party we are affiliated with. I blindly support the Congress and you will go to any extent defending the Communist party.”
Jayarajettan will smile on hearing this. I tell him that I have great respect for him, for, when the other leaders in his party try hard to assure their children of a bright future, he encouraged his wards to choose the path of communism. I keep telling him one cruel joke that his deeds will not be recognised now and they will be appreciated only after his death. He would reply to my sadistic humour with another laughter.
When I was bedridden with acute illness, I prayed to all gods. But Mata Amritanandamayi was the only god who answered my prayers. When I went to visit Amma, she asked me if there was anything I wanted to tell her. I told her that I’m 46 now, but my age has been wrongly entered in the register at the Amrita hospital as 54 years. I requested her to do something to rectify the error.
She said with a hearty laugh: “Salim, don’t worry. You can return to the hospital without thinking about money or the hospital charges because we need you."
I’m now standing in front of Amma with folded hands realising that I will never be able to pay my debt to her.
Since it is going to be a fight to finish, there will be my beloved friends among those who would lay injured on the battlefield losing the war. As I said earlier, I am stuck in a deep dilemma. Let me blindfold myself with a black ribbon for the time being!
