Show me the money!

A funny thing has happened on the way to the polls. Voters in Maharashtra are gasping over the declared assets of the candidates and thinking of little else. "Oh my God! Where did he/she get so much money from?"
There is shock and awe. But there is also envy and resentment. I wonder why India hates its rich? Do we really want the poorest of the poor to represent us, because it makes us feel more comfortable?
And where has this absurd hang-up come from, anyway? Who are these poor leaders we claim to admire? Even at the zenith of our (pseudo) Socialist Dream, we had a wealthy aristocrat like Jawaharlal Nehru inspiring the nation.
So many of his Cabinet colleagues were burra saabs. Why, even the great Mahatma lived in some of India''s grandest, most luxurious homes. And, as has been oft repeated, it took one hell of a lot of money to keep Gandhi looking poor.
Popular culture continues to reinforce this silly lie - that the good and glory of our country depends on poverty. Take a look at any of the more successful formula films - while the setting maybe garish, opulent and completely over-the-top, the underlying message has not varied in over 50 years - it''s good to be poor.
Poverty is noble. The poor are more honest. Rich people are evil and corrupt. The rich must (and generally do) suffer. If you have more money than you need (pray, who decides?), it spoils you. God only loves those who live below the poverty-line.
Leaders cannot possess material wealth. That makes them arrogant. It is only an under-privileged neta who truly understands the plight of the down-trodden. To support an affluent candidate, is to display your lack of sensitivity towards less fortunate brethren.
Get real, guys. How many politicians do you know who start off poor and retire poor? Isn''t it obvious why they get into politics in the first place? Track their bank balances - so many of them with a wretched past, are today in the top bracket.
They''ve obviously seen politics as a juicy business opportunity and made the most of their limited time in office.
Look at some of the overnight, self-declared millionaires in the race. Most have no official source of income. So where has all that money come from? As a revenue-model, politics has no equal.
I''m sure, at least a few of the more hi-profile Page 3 politicians have realised the potential before discarding their business suits and jumping into the fray, dressed in mandatory khadi.
They speak today''s lingo and are experts at providing appropriate sound-bytes. Where is the ideology and commitment? Frankly, it''s stupid to expect the new kids on the block to be anything other than what they are - business people who''ve identified a new avenue to rake it in.
Ditto for bureaucrats looking for the big break. Like the Central Excise Commissioner who declared unashamedly that his target was to clear Rs 1 crore a day (with a healthy commission for Ganpati!!), till the CBI caught up with him and found Rs 2.7 crore in cash that he''d stashed away.
Did anybody blink? Recoil in horror? Naah. "Yeh sab hota hai," was the wry comment of a senior government officer.
Well, Maharashtra goes to the polls shortly. As has now become customary, we have our share of gangsters, hit men, conmen, tricksters and other colourful characters to choose from. There are also the old rascals and crooks (or their nominees).
Page 3 is well-represented in key constituencies, too. Is the voter complaining? Alas, not. There is apathy and resignation. But no rage. If at all, the interest-levels are there for just one thing - money.
It''s business as usual. Except, for now, the business is politics. The winner takes all in the casino we absurdly call "Elections".