Politics of low cost

Low cost is what is needed most in these times of economic slowdown, especially when the world’s largest democracy is going to polls. Times are tough for the economy, but politicians are at it again — showering financial sops. Many conventions have been broken and the concept of low-cost seems to have been thrown to the winds. Elections are the new stimulus, we are told, and so is the black money economy. In the midst of this din, our very own low-cost icon, Captain Gopinath, has decided to jump into the fray for, perhaps, the most-watched Indian general elections in this century. We all know that low-cost Gopinath has revolutionised the way people travel by air. Just last month, one-way air tariff from Ranchi for two to Delhi on a MDLR flight was about Rs 8,000. However, low-cost Deccan Airways is no longer with its pioneer Gopinath. But Bangalore may become his, now that he is fighting elections as an independent candidate. In 1994, Gopinath had lost elections when he fought on a BJP ticket. Affiliations aside, Gopinath’s intentions might be good. But will Gopinath, who may eventually turn out to be a low-cost politician, be able to make this a low-cost election, not fought on black money, but true intentions? Or will it go the way his airline went? His experiment with low-cost airlines did not work last year when crude oil prices were at their peak and the aviation turbine fuel cost sent all airlines in the red, lifestyles of the chairmen of these airlines notwithstanding. But there are others to give him company. One hears that ABN-AMRO’s country head Meera Sanyal is an aspirant from South Mumbai, a constituency held by Milind Deora. Perhaps, Sanyal could give some banker’s tips on realpolitik to Gopinath. Wish you good luck, Mr Low Cost.