satta betting rates
shagun good omen
Sheetla satam the seventh day after Holi, on which the goddess Sheetla Mata is at the height of her powers in warding off smallpox
tala a water source
tazbi stringed beads used by devout Muslims
thakur a member of the Rajput caste
up-pradhan deputy head of the Block Development Board, an elected post
urs festive occasion at a Sufi Muslim shrine
Vijaikari avatar used for Chamunda, victorious form of the mother goddess
ziarat visit to pay homage at a Muslim shrine
zilla parishad District Development Board, an elected body
Acknowledgements
For the longest time in my life, I thought diaries were something that only girls kept—a little book in which they would write in different coloured inks, press flowers and leaves as sweet memories, and on whose pages they might occasionally drop a few tears as well.
Then Ranjana Sengupta of Penguin Books suggested I keep a diary of my 2009 election campaign for the Barmer Lok Sabha seat, as a first-hand account of democracy in action in my corner of India. I jumped at the idea without any mental preparation, though I realized only after I had started what a challenge this would be, in terms of turning the notes jotted in my Moleskine planner into a coherent narrative. This process made for long and difficult stretches of silence as I relived vivid memories of the campaign, and there were days on end when I didn’t want to look at those pages at all. And so, I am grateful for Ranjana’s patience. I really do not know how she kept Penguin convinced that I was on the job. Nandini Mehta took over from her and guided me through to the end. For her unimpeachable inputs, my gratitude is unmatched.
I began—and ended—Campaign Diary in the comfortable, peaceful living space provided by my in-laws at Bhainsrorgarh, where they let me work undisturbed for days at a stretch. I am indeed fortunate in having their unfailing support and kindness.
Even though the diary lived in my notebook, it was the digitized version that had to be delivered to Penguin, and my Dell laptop has been a faithful and reliable companion, accompanying me uncomplainingly across climate zones, letting me plug away at the diary as and when I gathered the courage to touch it.
My parents have been forbearing with me from the day I was born—at midday in mid-May in Jodhpur’s Umaid Hospital, which must have been a tough beginning for any mother. Over the years, as I grew in age and defiance, they have continued to endure me, and I am humbled by their tolerance and steadfast faith in me, in the face of many provocations and challenges. When I told my father that I would be writing a campaign diary, he said it would only be worth the effort if it were an honest account. I promised him it would be, and it has been written the way it happened. As a father myself now, I realize how important it is to keep one’s promises to one’s parents.
A number of my friends in Parliament were most encouraging when I told them about the diary. They have each gone through their varied experiences in political life, and while we may be separated by political affiliation, geography and language, there are common threads, shared experiences, that bind us in wonderful friendships. Because some political bosses are suspicious, I will not name my friends from Parliament—they are special to me, and they know who they are.
I was a journalist for many years before I entered politics, and still think like one, looking for a story every day. The years of reporting and writing have been a great help in putting this diary together. My friends in the media remain very dear to me, even though we do not meet often now, and I value their opinions, feedback and counsel. Like many of them, I too miss Sabina Saikia, tragically lost to us in the terrorist attack on Mumbai in 2008—I miss everything about her.
There are friends with whom I have grown up, through boarding school, college, work and life, spread across continents and countries. I thank each one of them for the many ways in which they have enriched my life.
Anyone reading Campaign Diary will realize that football rules my senses a lot of the time—so much so that a friend in Karachi once asked if my family was embarrassed about having a football hooligan in their midst. My football passion certainly makes my wife, Chitra, very cross at times, but it is to her that I owe the deepest gratitude, for her participation, help and indulgence in every aspect of my life. My hat (or rather, my Barmeri safa) off to her!
THE BEGINNING
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First published in Viking by Penguin Books India 2013
www.penguin.co.in
Copyright © Manvendra Singh 2013
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The views and opinions expressed in this book are the author’s own and the facts are as reported by him which have been verified to the extent possible, and the publishers are not in any way liable for the same.
ISBN: 978-06-7008-395-4
This digital edition published in 2013.
e-ISBN: 978-81-8475-983-9
Campaign Diary Page 21