India teems with tens of hundreds of political parties both at the state and national levels. As per the Election Commission of India (23 September 2021), the total number of registered political parties were 2858, of which 8 are national parties, 54 state parties and 2797 unrecognised parties. Naturally, we are in a mess. In recent years prior to any upcoming elections, the politicians term some political parties as A, B or C teams of some other parties. We are not sure about the number of teams, the players and which team is openly or discreetly collaborating with one another. Yet, this game goes on in circles, ad nauseam. But one thing is certain and that is we are taken for a ride because after elections the political parties cobble up a coalition forgetting their past animosities, the bad blood that existed and all the derogatory words used against one another. In this respect, the politicians are in a league of their own when it comes to fooling the people. Undoubtedly, they make strange bedfellows for after all birds of the same feather flock, brood and nest together! And we deserve the treatment meted out by them and for being left in the lurch after every election.
