In the corporate world, M&M stands for outstanding quality and value for money. This is true both in the Indian and the global context. In India M&M stands for Mahindra and Mahindra – a very well respected automobile manufacturer. While internationally M&M represents the best selling candy in the US and perhaps the world also. An amazing feat achieved by the combination of two similar alphabets.
The success achieved by the M&M combination in the corporate world enticed me to look for similar combinations in other walks of life. Being an avid observer of politics I picked up the Indian political landscape as the first hunting ground.
The first combination, which came to my mind in my chosen field, was Mamata and Marxist. Alas, if they were to ever combine, they would only combine to drink each other's blood. And after the blood drinking session would be over, they would still rant – “yeh dil maange more”. Genuine hatred from the bottom of the heart is all that they have for each other. The mere thought of an M&M combination with these two is inconceivable.
Not one to give up, I moved to the heart of India and reached Uttar Pradesh. Mulayam&Mayawati. Oh my god this is worse than the first one. The moment I suggested this combination to a prominent politician of Uttar Pradesh, he was quick to point out that if ever this M&M combination comes to power, the people of the state can only expect M&M (Murder&Mayhem) in abundance.
I decided to give up. And all of a sudden BJP announced Modi as its Prime Ministerial candidate. So came another M&M combination – Modi&Manmohan. The less I think about M&M in Indian politics the better it is.
Based on the above I concluded that in the corporate world M&M leads to “Jodi No. 1” but in Indian politics it leads to “Enemy No. 1”.
On a serious note, the 4M’s - Mamata, Marxists, Mulayam and Mayawati have a dominant control over 150 LokSabha seats and as of now are parts of neither the NDA nor the UPA. Each ‘M’ is singularly dreaming of emerging as kingmaker in 2014 – no combinations please, this is the political landscape in India and not the corporate world.
