Down in the dumps, now glamorous

By O J George

Politics has devious ways, leaders are merely sultans of the day. So celebrate when your time is good.

What would be a better example to project than the case of P J Joseph of Kerala Congress. He was down in the dumps for nearly three years, owing to an inappropriate behaviour case. This was not even a sex scandal. Media had blown the issue out of proportions.

He lost his Ministership within 100 days of assuming office. Most of the party associates and the general public at large loathed him. However, he continued to be chairman of the party only because no one could remove him from the post, as the party is solely his.

Now the court in Sriperumbudur, Chennai, has absolved him of the charge, which was that he caught hold of the breast of a woman passenger sitting in the front row from behind. The court found that there was no evidence to prove the charge.

The twist of destiny could be gauged. P C Thomas, whom P J Joseph gave accommodation when no one else was there to take him owing to his hobnobbing with the BJP, almost deserted him.

Thomas formed his own farmers’ conglomeration. He, and a few followers he had, stopped attending party meetings.

Now when the verdict is out, suddenly everyone is cozying himself up to P J Joseph. Dr K C Joseph faction had been pulling strings to see Joseph’s downfall. With the support of powerful outsiders, Mons Joseph was made the Minister in place of P J Joseph. This group never wanted Joseph to return absolved.

Now the moment Joseph is acquitted, there is a hue and cry about showing allegiance. Mons Joseph will not wait one moment to give way for Joseph. PC Thomas, Surendran Pillai and others are all agreeable to Joseph returning to power as Minister.

It was honourable of the Oppposition not to have made any adverse comment against Joseph.

People would always be there when you have power. They will desert you and snub you when you are in trouble. If you emerge powerful again, they would toe your line unabashedly.