End face Cylindrical Grinding Machine

Perhaps, for the first time in his 46 years, Rahul Gandhi was getting to know his own country, and the people he is likely to lead in the very near future. But it’s a risk worth taking. Least of all, self-styled analysts and NaMo fans, who continued to make fun of his efforts, while shaking their heads in mock-sympathy, and tirelessly repeating the same old lines, “What a pity Pappu is the face of the Congress Party.Come on… wipe that sheepish grin off your face. Who can forget that dramatic moment when, after a 40-minute impassioned speech in which he made several digs at the PM, he rushed across the floor of the House and hugged a very startled and far from amused Narendra Modi? Of course, that moment captured on camera made it to the front pages of every major daily and was widely dissected. It was Advantage Rahul. Of course, cynics sniggered. He looked sincere — maybe he WAS sincere, like China CNC Universal Cylindrical Grinding Machine he actually cared about their lives and miserable condition. The new, articulate and relaxed Rahul started winning hearts (read: potential votes).

We have the choice to vote for a man who may not be brilliant, but has heart and speaks the language of love. Everybody…or at least all those of you who had written off Rahul Gandhi and called him all sorts of unkind names ever since he decided he was going to keep his non-stop partying on hold and actually get into the family business in a serious way. Placing faith in Rahul Gandhi involves a gigantic risk. Gradually, a new body language began to evolve and his limited Hindi vocabulary took a quantum leap! He seemed as surprised by his fluency in a language which he may only have used with house help, to order breakfast or an aperitif. Inadvertently, he became India’s new age poster boy for the “Make Love, Not War” hippie movement of the distant 70s, that had captured the imagination of global youth, tormented by the violence of the Vietnam war. Now you have one!How did the tide turn… and when? I would say, Rahul Gandhi’s “jadoo ki jhappi” on July 20th did the trick. We are at that inflexion point right now. Simultaneously, he also discovered his inner voice, like his mother famously had, when faced with a dilemma (“to be or not to be the Prime Minister”, that was the question). He’s the one having the last laugh now. American politics changed virtually overnight, and the Vietnam war ended finally. Or we can go right back to a bunch of canny people we trusted… but who didn’t honour our precious trust. I can see chillums and flower power staging a huge comeback, with masses of young, guitar-strumming, long-haired people wearing Hare Rama guru shirts and beaded headbands, as they gather at India Gate for what were described as “love-ins” in those days. Please don’t be mean and say their mental age matches!I remember having an animated discussion about “the hug” with a small group of political pundits (stuffed shirts with fixed views) the same evening. It’s possible a great big parivartan had indeed taken place.

That was Rahul’s seminal moment, and the beginning of the end for NaMo. All the men felt Rahul had completely blown it! They found both gestures terribly childish, even foolish, and said Rahul had effectively committed political hara ********** and made an ass of himself. But the aam janta got used to seeing him engaging in fiery debates …. Amusingly enough, there are only two perceived “brats” in India right now — both are media superstars with a vast fan following — Taimur Ali Khan and Rahul Gandhi. Of course, all this is fluff.I think it’s kind of cool. We may have our very own, laidback hippie Prime Minister next year. “Give peace a chance” … sang John Lennon years ago, and the world sang along with him. Can’t they find a more competent leader? India needs a strong Opposition!”Well, guess what baby.. PM Modi’s lame and rather clumsy comeback did nothing to salvage the situation subsequently. Young people are saying directly or indirectly that they are done with the politics of hate, the venom-spewing of netas, and the ugly face of divisive politics. Well… there was “the hug”… and then came “the wink”. Rahul sensibly ignored those belligerent personal attacks and continued to flash those dimples! This, in retrospect, turned out to be a great strategy — they simply could not get a rise out of him! He soldiered on, rushing about like an eager college kid on a study tour. It’s time to vote with our dil. But even at that stage, nobody took him seriously. We tried voting with our dimaag.