Said a leader from an old party, “I changed sides in the hope

Of getting a ticket, but alas, the party nominated a dope.”

Smugness gone, he looked forlorn “This has been a major blow,

That idiot has the ticket and I have nowhere to go.”

I said, “Problems remain, work on them, people will call you great,

And next time when elections come, you’ll win from our state.”

Unconvinced he shook his head,

And woebegone he said,

“Listen carefully, so that you fully understand,

In our land, only elected power is grand

It is what opens doors of all kinds

It is what sways people’s minds.”

“I may work all I want, but in five years I’ll be

A sneered-at, powerless, speck on the sea

Quite like a ship without any fuel in its tanks

While the MLA laughs all the way to his banks.”

“So why should I work hard, why should I toil day and night

Just tell me how I can overcome this terrible slight!”

I looked around, at a loss for a suitably reply

I thought of the state of our land

And had the answer why.