Would you like some gold with that vote, madam?

They've just been through the state elections here. Forget better roads or communications or transport, this election was truly populist in a way western politicians can only dream of - the two main parties were basing their campaigns on lots of freebies...

• A free television set to every family (state population: 62 million, est cost $250m) for "women's recreation and general knowledge".
• Subsidised rice at two rupees (3p) a kilo to "make women feel happy at heart".
• Free gas stoves and computer training (hmm, high tech-stoves?)
  
• Free electricity (to farmers and weavers).
  
• Two acres of land for the landless rural poor (about 8 million acres!)
• Free bicycles to every student in the state (rich or poor)
• Four grams of gold to every poor woman who gets married.

In the end the DMK won (headed by an ex-film writer) over the AIADMK (headed by an ex-film star).

I'm just glad it's all over. It means I'll be able to find a beer again! For the last week before the elections all the "Wine shops" (total dive state-run off licences: 500 ml bottles for 70p) and hotel bars (the only bars: the same bottles are 2-3 quid) were closed (to prevent violence...right, it very nearly provoked it from me. No amount of bribery could get a beer out of any waiter or bartender)

Kingfisher pretty much rules here, though I reckon it's a poor cousin of the export-quality stuff that gets to the UK. If I can find them, Sandpiper or Golden Eagle are what I prefer. Mmm, cold beer.