This politico was a Cabinet Minister of the previous regime.
He accepted a Deputy office in the current administration, but quit it soon after.
The politico had a chance meeting with a long standing friend recently. Small talk over, their conversation drifted to the current political situation.
“By the way, why did you accept a Deputy office in this government despite once being a Cabinet Minister?” the friend asked the former Minister.
The politico looked around furtively as if to check whether there was anyone within earshot and said in a conspiratorial tone: “Machang, in those days whenever I visited Nuwara Eliya as a Minister the Policemen treated me like a king. I was the centre of attraction. The SSP on seeing me would stand to attention and salute me. When you are in politics you cannot do without Police security and respect. When I visited Nuwara Eliya one day as an MP, the Police didn’t care a tuppence for me! So I decided to accept at least a Deputy office so that Police and others would pay me some respect. Machang, coming down to brass tacks, you lose your image among people when Police and other high officials stop dancing attendance on you!”
“But why on earth did you quit the portfolio?” the friend asked him.
“Well, I took the decision after carefully weighing the pros and cons,” said the politico. “My voters expected from me a lot of things when I became a Deputy. But I was not in a position to do them any favour. So I thought it was better for me to quit as a hero than remain in office and fall from their grace!”
