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Let the games begin!

It's doubtful, with still more than one and a half months for the electoral process to get over, if any of the previous 12 general elections have been as interesting as the general turnout of politicians in what was for long billed as the mother of all political battles.

Given that, it is a wonder that the electorate at large does not seem to share the sentiment. Blame it on the shenanigans of our politicos, which have resulted in the electoral exercise being conducted once too often and ergo apathy, or on the general fall in standards of our elected representatives, which has convinced the voter that regardless of who comes to power it will be a case of saalah sab chhor hai.

Elections, it is thus clear, are a time of celebration for politicians, naturally, and those involved in fringe trades that benefit directly from the exercise, like banner/poster makers, or other vocations that impinge on the process, like journalists. Otherwise, so far at least, it has been a case of ho-hum for the public.

Despite that, this election promises some wonderful contests. At this early stage, my vote for the battle of the century, if not the millenium, goes to Gandhinagar, where the Bharatiya Janata Party's mascot L K Advani is pitted against Tirunellai Narayanaiyar Seshan who has, surprisingly, come into bat for the Congress. But then, I have always held that the man had flexible principles.

I remember, years ago, after sucking up to Rajiv Gandhi and assorted politicians en route to the top of the bureaucratic totem pole, he suddenly showed the one thing lacking in him all these years when he was appointed as the Chief Election Commissioner. Sure, he revolutionised the electoral process in the country with his bluster and bravado, putting in the shade what his predecessors like Peri Sastry had done away from the glare of arclights, and then, in a sudden turnaround, went crawling to the same politicians he had terrorised, when he suddenly realised that after being so high profile and a darling of the middle classes, a la V P Singh, there were only two posts into which he could fit in. The Presidency, luckily for us, was denied to him, but that sight will always remain with me: of kowtowing to that Deity of Democracy, Laloo Prasad Yadav, only because Seshan wanted a patron to make his way into Rashtrapati Bhavan.

But yes, the Congress has sprung a coup of sorts by getting him to contest against Advani. Gandhinagar maybe the home minister's, and the BJP's pocket borough, but believe me, the middle class has such malleable preferences, and an askew sense of priority that I for one will not be surprised if the BJP's next hope meets his match at the hands of the former CEC. Personally, I wish the people of Gandhinagar are enlightened enough to banish this man from where he came, but then these are elections. Remember the fall of 1984, when Amitabh Bachchan could fell a stalwart so easily?

The other contest I am awaiting keenly -- even though the outcome is a foregone conclusion -- is from Madurai, which returned Subramanian Swamy in the last elections. Even though a fellow Tamilian myself, the voting preferences -- or what passes for it -- of my people never ceases to amaze me. A psephologist's worst nightmare come true, the Tamil Nadu voter loves to confound predictions. He throws out Karunanidhi, brings him back, routs Jayalalitha and then plumps for her like there's no tomorrow.

Swamy may have different views on it, but his success last year was to the combined charisma of both A B Vajpayee and Jayalalitha. Bereft of both today, it should be interesting to find out if he can retain his deposit this time round.

Having said this, the Tamil Nadu scene too is quite interesting. Last year, both the BJP and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam claimed credit for the combine's splendid showing in the state. This time round, we will know who was really responsible for the result. Did the Tamilian plump for Vajpayee for prime minister, or had he absolved Jayalalitha of all her sins, real and perceived?

Everyone says Amethi too is an interesting contest. Even though the Congress is holding the Sonia card quite close to its chest, not committing anything on her candidature or otherwise from the First Family's pet seat, the BJP has already moved in with Sanjay Singh, the uncrowned prince of Amethi. Frankly, if any of the Gandhis enter the fray from here, I for one doubt if anyone stands a chance against.

Rae Bareili is another constituency I am all excited about, basically because the family has once again returned, though not on the side of the angels this time. Arun Nehru on a BJP ticket would have been unthinkable some years ago, but today what better confirmation can there be of the changing ground realities in Indian politics?

Otherwise, a Manmohan Singh making his electoral debut, or Jaswant Singh's ex-journalist son being nominated from Barmer in Rajasthan, or the Congress pitting a heavyweight against Sharad Pawar, Madhu Dandavate returning to Rajapur in the Konkan, Sunil Dutt embracing the Congress ideology after sulking it out for years ... all these make for sidebars in my election page, not the main news.

Strangely, however, what would have ordinarily been the biggest headline on the page, the invincibility of A B Vajpayee in these elections, somehow has already become yesterday's news. No reflection the rag-tag, foreign-driven opposition this, but just a statement of the voter's yearning for some years of stable governance.

Vajpayee, to that extent, represents a political continuum, that is a given. I would think that among the contenders for the crown, he alone has pan-Indian appeal, but these are words that will be put to test in the early part of October. Till then, I rest my case.

Saisuresh Sivaswamy