Next we have a mysterious silence on the part of the government after the leader ceremoniously announces that he will contest the elections. The first aspect is that he is a person with malafide intentions and that is why he was taken into custody. Secondly, how does he turn volte face suddenly? Thirdly can an undertrial contest elections. Reacting to this the Chief Election Commissioner of the State Government says that he will have to check the rules regarding an undertrial contesting elections. His rather tentative response is that perhaps only convicts are not allowed to contest elections! What a strange state of affairs this is! Even the Election Commission of the State Government is not sure of electoral rules, let alone reforms. Must we refer to the Chief Election Commissioner of the Government of India for this abysmal ignorance?

The silence of the State Government makes one smell a rat. Often as it happens in the body polity of Indian life one smells rat everywhere and suspects that people can do the turnaround anytime and anywhere. It is surely the politics of opportunity, shameless opportunity, expediency if not the politics of sheer muscle power and money.

We will have to wait to see the future course of developments. Is it that some politicians and people who are fighting for an independent state are in cahoots? If so, then there is more to it than meets the eye. Moreover, the charge of sedition means waging a war against the country. Can this be condoned suddenly?

The silence of the government on this sensitive matter is enigmatic to say the least. But so is politics.