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Home > News > India News > Article > Politics Power N Parties

Politics, Power 'N' Parties

Updated on: 18 December,2012 07:31 AM IST  | 
Hemal Ashar | hemal@mid-day.com

Letter writing is a dying art so we try to resurrect it here. These though, are just letters of the alphabet, so curb your epistolary excitement. This is simply the A to Z of 2012

Politics, Power 'N' Parties

A Arvind Kejriwal and his aam aadmi political party cocked a snook at the Congress but will he survive the hurly-burly of politics? The aam aadmi certainly hopes so.


CM Prithviraj Chavan
Who has the louder roar? CM Prithviraj Chavan at a book launch. Pic/Bipin Kokate


B Bal Thackeray’s death, stirred up Mumbai city. From controversy to quiet -- Mumbai swung both ways, proving that when the Tiger roars, the city listens. Even in the shadow of death.



Not the gangnam: Only some kathak at Iskcon in Juhu. Pic/Rane Ashish

C Corruption and anti-corruption continued to be the buzzwords of the year with activists screaming anti-corruption and thick skinned, hard-of-hearing netas surviving several scams.

D Dhoble became the party pooping hockey stick wielding cop of Mumbai’s nightlife as he started cleaning up. While party animals roared outrage, cop Vasant Dhoble had his slew of supporters. Dho(ble) daala.u00a0


A LA cart: A cab in the background of the frame of a car. Pic/Atul Kamble

E England wiped out India in the Test series with a series win after 28 years. Fish 'n' chips proved hotter than Indian curry. Angrezi tadka too hot to handle.

F FDI in retail. After the drama, and the political circus that is FDI in retail, it finally got the green light after stormy sessions in Parliament.

G Gangnam became Mumbai's dance style as the Gujjus even incorporated the Gangnam steps in their garba, this time.

H Hazare, or Annaji as Anna, O the King of Clean was called, seemed to have taken something of a backseat this year. The Anna mania ebbed like the tide.

I Indu Mill at Shivaji Park seemed to be in the news with the Republican Party of India (RPI) finally getting a place for an Ambedkar memorial. Hum Mill de chuke sanam?u00a0

J Jodis are the new buzzword with Saif-Kareena (Saifeena) and Sid-Vid Siddharth-Vidya Balan getting married. For better and for worse -- and hopefully, for good.

K Kingfisher flights were grounded and all the turbulence was on the ground instead of in air. No longer king and fishing for saviours --that’s some plane talking

L LPG cylinders had the city in a tizzy. Then came the decision to cut subsidised cylinders. Now, we hear the rules are changing again. Ah, the cylinder suspense continues…

M Manmohan Singh used an Urdu couplet when quizzed about the Coalgate scam. It went: “Hazaaron Jawabon Se Acchi Hai Meri Khamoshi, Na Jaane Kitne Sawaalon Ki Aabru Rakhe.” Ducking the question, Urdu style.

N Not bad huh? Was the common sentiment after India won six medals at the 2012 London Olympics. Now, we go to Rio in 2016, scams and scandals notwithstanding. Arre Rio mere laal.

O Obama won a second term at the White House with the Amreecans in Mumbai actually having a breakfast party at Hard Rock café here. Lots of desis and pardesis rocked hard as Mr. O swept it once more.

P Public transport burnt a hole through people’s pockets as bus and cab fares zoomed. Arre, bus, bus, bus. Born free, tax(i) to death.

Q Qasab’s hanging happened eerily quietly, in an age where secrets are impossible to keep. thanks to social media. Swift, silent, deadly, the face of 26/11 is now old noose.u00a0

R Rupee depreciated sharply through the year, a symbol of turbulence and financial problems in the world, especially the Eurozone seemed to have plunged into. Sabse badha rupaiiya happens only in songs.

S Sachin Tendulkar’s retirement talk gained greater stridency, assuming the dimensions of a national debate. One will not be surprised if it is soon debated in Parliament with the Speaker crying for order and chairs, tables and mikes being hurled.

T Taxis got so expensive that commuters may soon be allowed to pay my cheque or credit card, (swipe that driver!) as carrying that amount of cash can be highly dangerous.

U Urdu got a fillip after Manmohan Singhji belted out a couplet during the Coalgate scam. Arise O Urdu, from Ghalib now, become the gab of the masses.

V V S Naipaul was the target of an attack by playwright Girish Karnad, who took off on him because of what he said was Naipaul’s anti-Muslim bias. Stirred up things at a literary fest, where book took a backseat to the bashing.

W War it is over the late
Rajesh Khanna’s property with a woman called Anita Advani challenging Dimps and Akki.
Sez she was Kaka's live-in. Gossips and fillum followers are loving the Kaka-phony.

X XXX rated Book Fifty Shades of Grey spawned a host of X-rated literature in the same vein. Like they say, everything should be XXX in sin city.

Y Yash Chopra succumbed to deadly dengue and became a symbol of the
mosquito menace in the city.
Takes a Bollywood figure to really get down to some anti-fogging buzz-ness.

Z Z class security, the symbol of the you-have-arrived-baby, brigade. Those who have moved out of that bracket get downgraded and demoted to Y or W or some such thing. 1u00a0

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