The Indian Express -- Expressions

This page contains Editorial and Op-Ed articles

Sunday, November 09 1997

Letters to the Editor

The Cabinet became large to fulfil people's aspiration of political stability

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh has more things to worry about now. Although he successfully engineered splits in two rival political parties in order to cling to power, he has perhaps more problems ahead than the number of ministers in his cabinet. Already there have been voices of dissent, within his party and outside, about the Cabinet. Yet, the chief minister smiled away these problems when he spoke to Sharad Gupta.

Comrade of small jokes

Some time in the early '80s, mimicry replaced kathaprasangam (a musical narration of stories) as the most popular art form of the masses in Kerala. It is no accident that 78-year-old E.K. Nayanar's political graph also shot up around that time. But to him must go the credit for staying on top of the charts although mimicry as a satirical form subsequently took a beating from sundry television talk shows and serials.

New winter games

It has become fashionable to attack politicians, decry their venal nature, make indignant noises about their double-crossing ways, and even on occasion raise doubts about their parentage. This, I think, is in extremely poor taste. The fault, it seems to me, lies not in them but in ourselves. Just because we vote them in, we expect them to be selfless and caring and sincere and committed and to exhibit a whole lot of other utterly senseless attributes.

The Cabinet became large to fulfil people's aspiration of political stability

New winter games

Inside track -- Status quo triumphs

Comrade of small jokes

LTTE was in touch with Karunanidhi