Hon'ble Minister Jagubhai

By Pravinsinh Chavda

One-time film extra-turned farmer-turned politico, Jagubhai, has become a state MLA thanks to his stars and caste-based politics. The chief minister remembered his hotel mate at the right time and pulled a few strings. Now Jagubhai aspires to land the Industries portfolio, for a cabinet reshuffle is in the offing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Harper XXI
• Release date: Aug 5, 2015
• ISBN: 9789351367130

Pravinsinh Chavda

Pravinsinh Chavda is a well-known author in Gujarati, with six short-story collections, a travelogue, a literary autobiography and a novel to his credit. Many of his stories have been translated into Hindi, Marathi and English and have been widely published in national and international magazines. Mira Desai's translations have featured in 91st Meridian, Indian Literature, Pratilipi, Muse India, Calque and The Brooklyn Rail. As a writer of fiction, she has contributed to a number of journals.

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Hon’ble Minister Jagubhai

Pravinsinh Chavda

Translated from the Gujarati by Mira Desai

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Table of Contents

Hon’ble Minister Jagubhai

About the Author

Copyright

Hon’ble Minister Jagubhai

Jagubhai, one-time film extra-turned farmer-turned politico, had become a state MLA because of his luck, circumstances and caste-based politics. The CM remembered his hostel friend when equations were being cast for seat allocations.

In the past, he had faced and overcome a political storm when the government, of which he was a part, was overthrown and the assembly dissolved.

When this story begins we find Jagubhai, MLA, comfortably ensconced in his supporter Ganesh’s palatial bungalow rather than his spartan official MLA residence.

In the newspapers, there is much conjecture about the likely expansion of the state cabinet. Jagubhai is rumoured to be one of the selected few.

This news propels Rajshekhar, Jagubhai’s nephew, to take unofficial leave from his job as Mamlatdar (a local government official) in a distant town, and rush to the state capital in order to join Jagubhai as his personal secretary, before anyone else beats him to the post.

All the newspapers had carried reports of the likely expansion of the state cabinet along with photos of the probable contenders. The story read, ‘Last evening at a rally in Deesa, in answer to a question from a pernickety journalist, the hon’ble CM had smiled and said—that possibility cannot be ruled out.’

After he read this news, Ganesh marched in, raising his hand as if he’d just won a battle. He looked like an agitator with specific demands. ‘We must ask for the Department of Industry. Must be careful we’re not saddled with fisheries or sheep."

‘Ganesh, what a wonder!’ Jagubhai said.

‘Yes, of course.’ Ganesh said.

‘That such a thing would happen, escalate in such a fashion, I’d never imagined, bhai. As the lines of the poem read, Met millions walking on the pathway of life, but I’d never imagined that I would meet you…’

‘Not really, Saheb. Considering the current political situation, anything can happen