Govt by the end of the mango season

Free Thinker
One  somewhat reliable prominent  national  Parivarik leader  said the  Manipur government will be revived by the end of the Mango season. Normally Mango season ends by July. So, most of the MLAs and their ‘chellas’ and ‘chapatis’ are anticipating that by the first week of August a new  government may be installed in the State – though there are still 4 strong contenders for CMship  . One octogenarian leader has punctured their speculation saying that in South India the mango season ends in October – just confirm it from  Santosh ji, who is from Karnataka.
Most of the politicians, particularly the surviving MLAs desperately want to resurrect the State government.  Many MLAs are running here and there, coming and going to Delhi for the revival of the State Government just before the end of the six months of Governor’s rule. They simply urge upon the central leadership – not the topnotch two – to revive the State government .Most of the MLAs except a few are interested in serving the people more sincerely than before. Now they have realized the reality of hard life without power.
This year everyone is surprised to see a huge mango production in the state of Manipur, particularly in the valley . Because in the hill the present vegetation becomes herb  shrubs  ; but enough trees are still there in Naga areas. In the valley every household is offering mango to the visitors – saying that this fruit is from the front yard or backyard. It is also pleasantly surprising that there are no Mango worms . When we were children most of the Mangoes in the valley  were infested by blacklist   worms.
Mango diplomacy has a long history in this sub –continent. In fact India, Pakistan and Bangladesh have been using mango as a way to smoothen political relations or diplomatic relations. Mangoes are used as a gesture of friendship and goodwill and presented as gifts to national leaders. In the 50’s Nehru Saab gifted mangoes to foreign leaders who came to India. He even handed over mango saplings to the foreigners and dignitaries.
Zia-ul-Haq once sent mangoes to Indira Gandhi . That was a very famous Pakistani mango variety called Anwar Rataul .I don’t know whether Mrs Gandhi ate them or not. Mango diplomacy went on .  When the US President George Bush came to India he was offered  mangoes by Sardar Manmohan Singh. That was really obvious mango diplomacy – that time Indian Mangoes were banned in the US for quite some time. “The US is looking forward to eating Indian mangoes”, Manmohan Singh uttered. After this mango episode the ban on Indian Mangoes was lifted.
Nawaz Sharif also sent  mangoes to Modiji, Pranab da, Vajpayee ji and Sardar Manmohan Singh.  But that could not improve Indo-Pak ties. Pakistan keeps sending mangoes to New Delhi every year regardless of the security environment between the two countries – India’s response remains lacklustre. These days though India is the largest producer and exporter of Mangoes but not a single basket of mangoes was sent to Pak leaders.
In 2021 Sheik Hasina succeeded in mango diplomacy with India ; she delivered delicious Haribhanga mangoes to the Indian President, PM, Bengal CM and Tripura CM. Then Covid vaccine supply to Bangladesh continued. And Modi ji had his first visit to Bangladesh immediately after Covid -19 pandemic. Again after winning the Bengal election Mamata Didi sent mangoes to the Prime Minister as a gesture of goodwill. Last year there was some mango controversy also – actually the Pakistan Embassy sent mangoes to Rahul Gandhi and   some important MPs .
India grows more than 1200 varieties of mangoes. Some of the famous ones are Alphonso, Banganapalli, Neelam, Langra, Chaiusa, Ambika, Malgrove, Desheri, Kesar, Sarik, Maldai, Totapuri, Himsagar, Raspuri,Malgoa, Amrapali, Rumani, Malika, Kilichundan, and many more. If you ask my preference – I prefer “Sarik  Heinou” to all these cited above – small, sweet and exotically aromatic from my own state.
Apart from Mango stories let us come back to our normal business of gossip and grumbling. Since we have a new Chief Secretary from outside cadre, anything may happen in the political realm too. We heard that the new CS is very active and effective and considerably close to the internal circle. If so, it is good for the State. Manipur is lagging behind in almost all spheres of development due to Covid & Clashes. Now it is high time to pull up the soaks and run to catch up with the speed of development. Hopefully Goel Saab will do the needful as he seems to be close to the inner clique.
Outside circle people interrogated me – Can anybody from anywhere in the country become CM of Manipur?   With my little knowledge of the Constitution –I must confess that – any citizen of India who is 25 years old and who is a Member of the State Legislative Assembly (or becoming a Member within 6 months) can be made CM by the Governor . Query continued - can Sabit Patra become CM of Manipur ? I told you umpteen times, I have very limited knowledge (restricted to ‘Duki’) of the Constitution.