All for the Sake
of 31 Days
How extraordinary it is that man should come into the world and live here as if he will never leave, yet a departure from this world is inevitable and comes sooner than he plans!
The January 1983 elections in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh brought the Telugu Desam party under the leadership of N.T. Rama Rao, into power. On August 16, 1984, however, N.T. Rama Rao’s government was dismissed by the then Governor, Mr Ram Lal, and a Telugu Desam dissident, N.T. Bhaskara Rao was invited to form a Government in alliance with the Congress party. Mr Bhaskara Rao was given 30 days to prove his majority in the 293-member state assembly.
Mr Bhaskara Rao’s group launched a concentrated effort to winning over MLAs. According to the Hindustan Times, dated September 13, 1984, a price of 2 million rupees was placed on the head of each MLA. N. T. Rama Rao confined members loyal to him in Ramakrishna Studios. When Mr Bhaskara Rao was unable to prove his majority on the house floor within 30 days, his government became unconstitutional and was dismissed by the new state governor, Mr S.D. Sharma. On September 16, 1984, Mr Sharma invited N.T. Rama Rao to once again form a Government.
On September 19, 1984, The Times of India published a special report on the events in Andhra Pradesh, highlighting the actions perpetrated by N.T. Bhaskara Rao during his short term of office. The month-long chief minister had released a state government fund of 100 Crore (1000 million) rupees and had started openly inviting state assembly members to “defect and be a minister”. The writer continues:
“During his 31-day uncertain career as chief minister, Mr Bhaskara Rao behaved and acted as if he had come to stay for a hundred years.”
It is an apt description of the way everyone acts in this world. One is in the world for only a short period; it might only be for 31 days. However, people act as if they have come to the world to stay forever. How extraordinary it is that man should come into the world and live here as if he will never leave, yet a departure from this world is inevitable and comes sooner than he plans!
