Partly Facetious: The non-status quo parties

“So I guess support for the non status quo parties has or is evaporating around the world.”

“If you are referring to Trump’s defeat in the elections then don’t forget that your thesis has a few holes. I mean yes I agree that Trump was a non-status quo guy which may have won him the 2016 elections but not the 2020 elections based no doubt on his delivery but don’t forget Trump was backed by a status quo party the Republican party and….and wait the 2020 elections may have unseated him but not the party, I mean Democrats did not win a resounding majority in the House….”

“That’s true reminds me of The Khan in the 2018 elections – he was a non-status quo guy.….why are you coughing? Ah a Corona test is in order….”

“I apologize the coffee I was drinking went down the wrong way.”

“Hmmm and you reckon you are being very smart: saying it, while not saying it!”

“Well I agree with you that The Khan was a non-status quo guy because he was new to the game; and need I add those before him had already placed certain key bureaucrats who remained loyal to them and here you must appreciate these bureaucrats because loyalty in politics is not the norm….”

“Agreed, the word we have for politicians who change sides as soon as a new government is installed is lota, and you know I can’t quite understand what a lota has to do with a turncoat – a lota is a water pitcher of sorts though not for drinking purposes…”

“And there is your answer – it won’t provide you water to drink, a key requirement for sustaining life.”

“Don’t be facetious – do you think it’s the shape of the spout which kind of reverts back to.…”

“Let it be…anyway The Khan and his party do not have any similarity to Trump and his relations with the Republican party – PTI was created by The Khan on principles of social and legal justice, read equality for all, and was headed by a man who got the votes, not the party if you know what I mean.”

“How is that different from status quo parties – I mean the PML-N voters vote for Nawaz Sharif, the PPP voters vote for the Bhutto Zardaris.”

“Yes but The Khan’s party also has an ideology….”

“Hmmm focus on wealth creation through private sector engagement and then refer to perhaps one of the few remaining communist countries in the world China and…”

“Hey The Khan may make the two compatible and….”

“Yeah, yeah, but my point is that The Khan has inducted status quo people left right and centre who are unlikely to receive more than one vote in any elections…”

“More than one vote?”

“The Khan will vote for them but in a secret ballot…”

“Don’t be facetious.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020