Wives of politicians talk about their experiences during the 2014 Lok Sabha campaign
(Part 1)
Photo of Nisha Jose by K. Shijith and Betty Louis by BP Deepu
Wife
Nisha follows in Jose K Mani's footsteps
By
Shevlin Sebastian
Sometime
ago, Nisha, the wife of Kottayam MLA Jose Mani, went to attend the
annadhanam at the Pisharukovil Devi temple at Piravom. There, she met
several womenfolk, including an 84-year-old lady who requested Nisha
to come for the celebrations of her birthday in February.
It
was a day when Nisha was heading towards Bangalore in her car with
her daughter, Priyanka, who had to sit for the entrance exams for the
National Institute of Fashion Technology. But, somehow, Nisha managed
to make a stop at the temple and greet the old lady. “Her look of
happiness made my day,” she says.
During
the election campaign for the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, Nisha had
campaigned extensively, and given her number to numerous women in the
seven Assembly segments - Ettumanoor, Kottayam, Puthupally,
Kaduthuruthy, Vaikom, Pala and Piravom - that comprise the Kottayam
constituency.
“I
told them to contact me in case they need something,” says Nisha.
“And they have been calling me. And we have become friends.”
Thus
far, Nisha has 500 numbers saved on her mobile phone. And following
in the footsteps of Jose, she has attended weddings, birthdays and
death ceremonies. “Yes, definitely, I am doing this to help my
husband,” she says. “But I am also a people-person and enjoy
meeting women.”
In
fact, once desperate to find a toilet, while travelling between
Kaduthuruthy and Thalayolaparambu she stopped at a random house,
knocked on the door, introduced herself, used the toilet and became
friends with the family. “I have attended their birthdays and
baptisms,” she says, with a smile.
Interestingly,
Nisha says that she does not play politics. “In fact, I don't even
know which party they belong to or have sympathies for,” she says.
“I have a clear mind on this.”
Meanwhile,
her day begins very early when people come to the house at Kottayam.
“Many of them are well-wishers, who want to meet Jose,” she says.
Nisha ensures they all have something to eat. However, if there is a
woman accompanied by a child, she will provide breakfast.
Thus
far, the feedback she is getting from voters about Jose for next
month's Lok Sabha election is positive. “With God's grace, there is
a good chance that Jose will win once again, although I have told my
husband not to take anything for granted,” says Nisha. “He should
keep working as hard as ever.”
“My
gut feeling is that Baby will win” - wife Betty Louis
Betty
Louis, the wife of MA Baby, the senior CPI(M) leader, had a laugh
when Congress supporter Celine D'Cunha recounted the experience of
her son Sheen. He had gone to a nearby pilgrimage centre in Kollam.
As is usually the case, there were several beggars sitting outside.
Feeling in a magnanimous mood, Sheen gave Rs 10 to a beggar. The man
said, “I am grateful that you have given me the money, but you must
do me one favour. Please cast a vote for MA Baby.”
It
seems that even though he was a beggar, he was a Left sympathiser.
“He was not only begging for money, but also for votes,” says
Betty. “Just like what I am doing now.”
In
Kollam town, Betty met a senior Congress leader and asked for his
vote. The man said, “I will give it.” But suddenly Betty
remembered seeing a photo of the leader with NK Premachandran, the
UDF candidate on Facebook. So Betty said, “You are not being honest
when you said that you will be giving my husband the vote.”
But
the Congressman said, with a serious look, “I shall help you
because Baby is my friend.”
Betty
starts her campaign at 8 a.m. She is accompanied by her old Students
Federation of India activists like Jaji Sunil, Vimala Teacher and
Chintha Jerome. “The team gets expanded at times,” says Betty.
Kollam Mayor Prasanna Earnest sometimes joins the house-to-house
campaign.
Interestingly,
Betty says that this time there are very few complaints. “Earlier,
when we used to go to the town of Kundara, people would gives us a
long list of complaints,” says Betty. “One reason could be that
there is development, like the Techno Park, better roads and drinking
water facilities.”
Since
the LDF has always been strong in the labour-dominated constituency
of Kollam, whose chief industry is cashew production, Betty's gut
feeling is that Baby will win. “There is a 99 per cent
possibility,” she says. “But 1 per cent has to be left open.
Anything can happen at any time. The party should work hard. The
opponent is a good one. And the voters should decide who they think
is the better candidate.”
As
for the All-India election, now that the right wing, led by Gujarat
Chief Minister Narendra Modi, has put in a strong thrust, Betty says,
“In the elections just after the 1975 Emergency, Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi was voted out. The people of India are wise and will
choose what is good for the country.”
(The New Indian Express, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode)
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