A VOTER'S DILEMMA (SHORT PLAY )

A  small  house in the Aruvikkara Constituency. Ammini (35)
sweeping the yard. Enter  Kunjan (40),her husband. He is carrying
a duck)

                              Ammini

Chetta, why do you bring that duck? 
                            
                    Kunjan

You know,there will be an acute shortage of ducks on the 
vote-counting day.So I am pre-empting the impending  shortage.
                   
                  Ammini

What  do you  mean by that?

                  Kunjan 

I mean, out of the 16 candidates, 13 will be ducks. I want to
celebrate  UDF victory, with this duck roasted.

               Ammini

Don't  build castles in the air. The Unpopular  Democratic Front
is going to bite the dust. The UDF  has its back against the wall.

            Kunjan

So,you mean that you are going to vote for the Lost  Democratic
Front (LDF)?

                    Ammini

Definitely.It's loud and clear.

                Kunjan

Anyway, it's your right. I don't  want to interfere with your
choice. But, tell me, why are you so hostile to the UDF ?

              Ammini

It's because they are steeped in corruption. KM Mani, K.Babu,
and others. Corruption involving tens of crores...

              Kunjan

Didn't  you hear that there's no solid  evidence against them?

              Ammini

Ha,ha.The investigation was a farce. That poor Biju Ramesh
lost crores of Rupees to Mani and  Babu.Why can't Mani and
Babu  refund that poor guy. He is bankrupt.

                Kunjan

Oh,that poor millionaire! Are you aware that giving a bribe
is an offense? I have some unanswered questions. Are bribes
refundable? Suppose Biju Ramesh did give the bribes. My question
is, did he withdraw those crores from a bank ? If so, from which
bank? Or,did he keep the money under his bed? In short,he is
a puppet of the LDF. 

                 Ammini

No,he is an honest, downtrodden former millionaire.

                  Kunjan

There's no honesty in the liquor business. 

                 Ammini

Anyway, I beg you,Chetta, vote for Vijayakumar.

He is a 
good man.
                    Kunjan

I admit that Vijayakumar is a good man, unlike the Kannoor
leaders, who are brutal, bloody and use vulgar language.

                    Ammini

Then vote for him.

                   Kunjan

Actually I'm in a dilemma. Sabareenath, Vijayakumar, and Rajettan
are good leaders. All these three leaders deserve to be elected
to the assembly.

              Ammini

But only one can be elected.

              Kunjan

The present  electoral system is unfair. Suppose Sbareenath gets
51000 votes, Vijayakumar 49000 votes, and Rajettan  gets 35000
votes. The losers combined have 84000 votes. This is unfair,this
'winner takes it all'' system.

             Ammini

Then what's the solution ?

  Kunjan

The law should be amended so that the leading losers also
should be accommodated. The five year term of the Assembly
should be divided  among the three leading candidates proportionately  to  the votes they got. Actually it's heartbreaking
if  Vijayakumar  and Dasettan sit at home, even though they have
the support  of tens of thousands of people. Take the case of M.A.Baby. It's a big loss to the state that such a stalwart is not in the parliament,while criminals and Sadhus  from the North fill the Lok Sabha. 

                Ammini

Ha,ha..but who is going to listen to your ideas ?

              Kunjan

Ammini, times have changed. Ordinary people's ideas carry weight.
Do you know that it was the death of a street vendor in Tunisia that
ignited the Arab Spring that engulfed many nations? Ordinary
people should not keep quiet,and leave everything to the politicians . ( takes out a small phone ) I'm  going to post my ideas in Facebook. Maybe others will  respond to it....

         Ammini

Ok. Give it a try. Good luck.

         Kunjan 

Thanks  dear. Is there anything to eat?  I am hungry.

        Ammini

There's kappa and fish curry.

      Kunjan

Ok. Bring it quickly.

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