Postscript!

More than half of Mumbaikars did not vote yesterday. In fact, the miserable 30% finally rose to 45% at the end of the polling day. Almost equal to the voting percentage in 2007. We can call it Mumbai's genetic apathy to casting votes! Status quo maintained. 

And, status quo maintained too in the governance of the Municipal corporation. Shiv Sena-BJP-RPI alliance came roaring back to power. They have won 107 wards in the 227-ward corporation, falling just 7 short of the magic majority figure of 114. With a sizable number of independents the majority can be achieved easily without having to look for support or allying with Raj Thackeray's MNS who won 29 seats--a huge beginning. 

Approximately 54,00,000 Mumbaikars did not vote and it will never be clear to which alternative they would have voted for. Maybe the state ruling coalition or even MNS would have come to power if they voted. Now, they will have to accept the status quo in all civic matters and they will hardly be able to or empowered to complain too much. If you can shout about red-tap ism or corruption or potholes or water shortage or have joined Anna Hazare's movement they just why didn't you vote?   

Anyway, the Shiv Sena alliance who have ruled the Corporation for last 16 years thanked the voters for bringing them back into power. Rightly so. 

Meanwhile, in the Commonwealth Bank Tri-Series cricket Sri Lanka finally scored a win defeating Australia by 8 wickets in a rain-curtailed match. Rickey Ponting captained today in place of injured Clarke. India thus continue to remain on top of the table and hope to score more points in their match against Australia on Sunday.

Voter Apathy: Mumbai Shows The Way!

Polling was held today for Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (BMC) and nine other municipal corporations of the state of Maharashtra. Low turnout has been the trend almost everywhere with average voting in the state put around 45% and the highest being just around 60%, 

For BMC, the richest civic body of India, the turnout was a dismal 30% till the latest reports came in. This is even lower than the poor 46% recorded in 2007. This is despite the huge propaganda and campaigning and the continuous educative messages to citizens to definitely exercise their basic fundamental democratic right. This is despite today being declared a holiday for all state government and private offices, banks and establishments. Mumbai just did not want to vote. 

What could be the reasons? Maybe due to the hundred-something potholes in the city that plagued Mumbaikars throughout the rainy season and even afterwards. Or maybe they just wanted an extended weekend to go out for a trip. Or maybe they wanted to enjoy sitting at home watching the idiot box. 

But demonstration of such monstrous apathy is hardly a solution. You must vote irrespective of whether you do want an alternative or do not want a change. There were three alternatives available—the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) combine that ruled BMC for the past 16 years and joined by the Republican Party of India too this time, the ruling coalition of Maharashtra-Congress + Nationalist Congress Party-who joined hands for the first time to fight BMC elections and the youths’ favorites Maharahstra Navnirman Sena (MNS—breakaway party under Raj Thackeray from Shiv Sena) who made tremendous inroads into Mumbai in its maiden effort during the last Assembly Elections in 2009. Thanks to the involvement of these huge political groups this hard-fought BMC elections has been termed a mini-assembly election or a semi-final to the coming big elections in 2014. But Mumbaikars were not interested. 

A little interesting fact that may be of more use for Mumbaikars! In view of the municipality elections the state government had declared dry days on 15^th, 16^th and 17^th February, 2012. The Bar owners appealed against this order in the High Court citing disastrous losses for a business already under pressure.  Today the High Court delivered the verdict asking the government to allow the bars to open tomorrow evening after counting of votes is over. Business loss was not the reason cited in the verdict. The justification was to allow ‘the victorious to celebrate and the defeated depressed to drown their sorrows’! 

Meanwhile suspense builds up for tomorrow’s counting. Anyone interested? 

Cricket Tri-Series: Rotate, Experiment And…Tie!

 Winning the toss and electing to bat first Sri Lanka made 236 for the loss of 9 wickets in allotted fifty overs. India replied making 236 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in allotted fifty overs. So, it was India’s first tied one-day international (ODI) cricket match against Sri Lanka and total six against other teams. It was also the first ever tied ODI at the Adelaide oval in Australia. Both the teams earned two points each at the fifth Commonwealth Bank Tri-Series played today.

It was the perfect thriller swinging either way all the time down the wire. On a flat and slow wicket Sri Lanka made a modest 236 despite cruising at one stage with Chandimal and Jaywardene in full swing. Indian pacer Vinay Kumar again did an excellent job by capturing 3 wickets and the Indian fielding effort was also commendable. So far in the series, Sri Lanka has not been able to put its batting in top gear as evident in the earlier two matches it played and lost.

Midway in the Indian innings if you put Gambhir out the batting was just dismal with three top batsmen Tendulkar, Kohli and Rohit getting out at the seemingly obsessed score of 15 each. Raina and Jadeja failed too. Captain cool Mahendra Singh Dhoni, like in the earlier match against Australia, played the sheet anchor’s role keeping one end going till the end.

India seemed to be cruising to victory at 178 for 4 in the 41^st over and at 91 Gambhir seemed to be heading towards his well-deserved century that he missed in the last match. But at that very moment Gambhir got run out due to a horrible call by Dhoni for a non-existent single. Gambhir could not regain his crease and the ball broke the stumps at the non-striker’s end breaking his and so many Indian hearts. After the match Dhoni acknowledged it as his fateful decision that cost India the match.

Sri Lanka, flooring a few crucial catches, came back roaring into the match and started pouncing on the ball making run-making most difficult. The asking rate kept around at the manageable level of under six an over kept on rising—to 7, 8, 9 and nearing 10. Wickets kept on falling too at regular intervals. Nine runs were needed in the last over and four off the last ball. Dhoni managed three and there was a historic tie.

Meantime rotation continued and this time it combined with even experimentation. As feared, Tendulkar came back in Sehwag’s place and Irfan Pathan was inducted for the first time inexplicably in place of in-form Zaheer Khan. Due to this weird rotation top three batsmen are not being able to get used to playing and so failing consistently. Gambhir capitalized on his two consecutive chances playing pivotal innings on both occasions and maybe he will be out next time—against Australia! And, Team India is yet to ensure its place in the finals!

For a cricket team in its worst ever overseas performance phase winning should have been the only priority and for that you must always put in your best possible team. For what reason? Only for playing Rohit Sharma persistently, consistently and insistently in al the matches till he makes a substantive score? I have been saying this again and again and maybe almost earning the tag of an India cricket fanatic!

No! You may be going great-guns for being able to watch a classic and historic tied thriller! But winning is always the best result. Particularly for India--at this stage or any stage. And, India have in them to win, but not allowed to do so. For some obscure reasons that only Indian cricket is capable of concocting.