A selfish pledge.

Just so it is clear: Till further notice, in every single election I can vote in, I am voting for the Rahul Gandhi-led INC-backed candidate. And if they defect later, and elections happen again, I shall vote for the new candidate that has INC backing. Again. And again. And again. Until there is clear evidence for anyone and everyone who thinks of leaving that betraying the Indian voter will not pay. There is no other alternative. Not AAP, not TMC, not DMK, not SS, not JD, not SP, not BSP, not RPI, not SAD, not NCP, not CPIM, no one else.

I have given this all the thought my intellect is capable of. And I am convinced.

This isn’t about corruption or nepotism anymore. This isn’t about a more muscular India or becoming a superpower. This isn’t about world leadership or a seat at the UNSC. This isn’t about capitalism or socialism. This isn’t about the national anthem or the tricolour. This isn’t about national honour (whatever the fuck that means) or a powerful passport or a vanity currency. This isn’t about anything other than the most basic of the needs of the time: the very idea of The Republic of India. The rest can wait. Or rather, every of these other goals is a byproduct of the most basic, fundamental idea of India. That first. Baaki, baad mein dekh lenge.

And yes, this is about the promises we made to ourselves 72 years ago. That we shall aim for justice, liberty, and equality for all in a fraternal manner. And at this time, the way it looks, only a Rahul Gandhi-backed INC can hope to even try to deliver these in some, if not full measure.

At this moment, I believe that India needs the INC as much as the INC needs her, and us, the common citizens. Maybe we’ll keep them for some time. Or use them (the INC) and throw them out once we are once again stable. Like the British used and discarded Churchill after winning the war, which only he could have won. They overlooked his alcoholism, his imperialism, his misogyny, even his racism and arrogance. So that Britain could live to fight another day. The British public was selfish. For Britain. And it worked.

We need that kind of selfishness now. We need to protect the idea of India. We need to overlook everything else. In that way, we need to emulate our enemy, the theocratic Hindutvavadis who are willing to destroy everything for Hindutva (and their brothers, the Islamists and the Communists before them in other situations and geographies), even to the extent of putting their own nation, fellow citizens, their families & friends, and even their own happiness and their lives on the line to realise their dream. Except, unlike them, we’d be protecting our nation, families, friends, neighbours, businesses, and future generations with our choice. And it would only be so till we put this insanity of Hindutva behind us. It is, in a way, transactional and short-term. Like the British, in the example I gave above.

I pledge my vote to Rahul Gandhi-backed INC till further notice.

So, whatever data, information, proof, documents, or anecdotes about the contrary you have will be given due consideration after that. Till then, I have made up my mind. Rahul Gandhi-backed INC it is. Why? Because I am selfish.

Ab jo ho so ho.