675. A Turning Point

"Have you lost your mind? You say you are going to start a political party!" exclaimed Sumathy, in a tone of astonishment. 

"The country needs political parties too. All these years, I have been carrying  on business activities. I have earned a fairly good amount of money. We have been leading a comfortable life. My business establishments are running well and generating income for us, even without the need for any active involvement by me. I don't even visit the offices of my business establishments frequently. I want to do something for this society. If I start a political party, formulate good policies and action plans for the welfare of our country and its people and propagate them, will it not be good for the country?" asked her husband Gowrishankar.

"You are already sounding like a politician giving a speech in a public meeting! Politics has evolved into a profession for gaining power and using that power to accumulate wealth. What good can you do, by jumping into the fray?"

"What you say is generally true. Politics has been increasingly associated with power and money. I am planning to launch a political party only to change this scenario and make use of politics to deliver good things to people."

"I don't know. Use your judgement and decide" said Sumathi.

"It has been about eight months since you announced your decision to start a political party. During this period, you invited various kinds of people to our house and had elaborate discussions with them. You have been spending a lot of money - I don't know for what purpose. Now, you say you are going to launch a television channel. Have you changed your plan?"

Gowrishankar smiled, without giving her an answer.

"It is good that you have dropped your idea of starting a political party. Launching a television channel could be a good decision. You know how to run a business, after all" said Sumathy.

Gowrishankar remained silent. 

"Have you changed your mind again? You have gone back to your idea of launching a political party!" asked Sumathy

"Did I ever say that I had given up the idea of starting a political party?" countered Gowrishakar.

"For the past several months, you were having discussions with various people. I thought that after those discussions you have decided against launching a political party. You also told me that you had applied for starting a television channel!"

"Yes. Now, I have got the approval from the government for my television channel. I am launching my channel on 1st of May. The same day, I am launching my political party from Trichy. The launch event will be telecast live in my television channel. That will bring publicity for the launch of my political party. My TV channel will also become popular, by telecasting the launch of my party."

"I don't understand your plan at all!"

"Before taking up a task, we need to make preparations to ensure that the task is performed in an effective way. First of all, we should consider the resources for doing a task. In this case, money is the major resource needed. For the past eight months, I have been building up a fund for launching the political party, by setting aside a fixed sum of money every month from the profits of my businesses .

"Secondly, the means of doing the task and the tools we are going to employ have to be got ready. This being an information era, I thought having a television channel of my own for telecasting news and information about my party would be valuable. We can not only propagate our policies and plans, but also reply to criticism by other parties through our channel. That is why I applied for permission to launch a television channel and got it too. 

"In addition to the electronic media, the social media have also gained importance. In fact, social media platforms are essential for us to quickly reach a large number of people and communicate our ideas to them. I have engaged a number of people who have the skills and experience to launch youtube channels for posting videos in support of my party. 

"Thirdly, my launching the party on 1st May, celebrated as workers' day, will give a chance to some leaders to berate me, by saying that being a businessman, I am anti-labour. I plan to telecast a news story in my television channel explaining what excellent benefits the employees working in my companies have been getting. That way, I can turn a propaganda launched against me in my favour. It will also create a positive image about my political party. Only on these considerations, I am launching my party on 1st May. "

"But, why are you launching your party from Trichy. You hail from Madurai. You could have chosen Madurai, to launch your party!" asked Sumathy. 

 "I could have. But Trichy has a significance. Many political parties consider Trichy to be a sentimentally favourable place. Many a political leader has used the term 'Turning Point,' while organizing an event at Trichy. I will take advantage of that sentiment and launch my party as a 'Turning Point' in the state's politics" said Gowrishankar. 

"I have seen you make meticulous plans while starting a new business. But, it is amazing that you have followed a similar approach, for launching a political party also" said Sumathy, looking at her husband with admiration and pride.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 68
The Method of Executing An Action

Verse 675 (in Tamil):
poruL karuvi kAlam vinai idanodu aindhum
iruL thIra eNNich cheyal.

Meaning:  

Do an act after a due consideration of the following five factors, viz., resources, means, time, deed (the task) and place.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'thiruppu munai' by the same author.) 

Verse 676
Verse 674