The Rushambo political game in Kerala

 The upcoming elections in Kerala is akin to the game of rock paper scissor. The ubiquious game that is often seen played by school children in the crowded bus or train. The game takes a few moments,  is tacky, needs instant agility to throw a quick display of three unique hand gestures-- A closed fist representing rock,

an open palm symbolising a sheet of paper and a geature with the thumb index and middle finger symbolising scissors.

In the game, the rock can break the scissor,  the scissor can cut the paper and the paper can cover up the stone--Each, have an upper hand over the other--in the game. In a series of rounds, each player would win, lose, and draw roughly one-third of games. The game is a classic method used to even settle playground dispute. 

Eerily, this game has a striking resemblance to the political development being witnessed in poll bound state of Kerala. 

Take for instance, the closed fist. It is the generic communist salute, comrades exchange with each other as a greeting and a mark of solidarity. The open palm, strikingly, is the symbol of the grand old Indian national congress. While, the scissors, though do not represent the national flower, the symbol of the saffron party, what it does represent is being a   vote cutter in the upcoming election, something all political pundits in the state all agree with.

While the ruling left is working hard to break the 44 year old pattern that no front gets to be in power for two consecutuve terms, the main oposition lead by the Indian National Congress is dreaming of being back to power, overthrowing the LDF, riding the anti incumbency  wave. As for the BJP, a party that barely managed to  scrape out a win, out of 140 constitiencies, for the very first time in kerala electoral poll history, it is working to strike a double digit in these elections.

Much like the rock paper scissor game, the state is going to witness 140 rounds of it, that will decide who is going to be the winner.  Will the congress hands be able to cover up atleast 71 close-knitted, -well-oiled left machinery? Or, will it shred itself to oblivion?  How many votes will the NDA cut for itself, in a state where its performance has mildly improved? Will the rock get the advantage of winning back the trust of voters who left after Sabarimala issue?

The game is also called as Rushambo. For sure,  as voting days nears, the adrenaline 'rush' will be at an all time high. On May 2, when the game results will be declared, the results are going to be surprising and  no matter who wins, people are likely to express the popular malayalam lingo for surprise and say 'ambo'!