Some of the politicians who have jumped ship in the last few days
Read Mark Twain's thoughts and those of Thomas Jefferson to get perspective on the scramble on right now as politicians quit their parties of many years to join those that they have attacked forever. Twain, the man of words, said, "Principles have no real force except when one is well-fed." Jefferson, man of politics, said, "Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on offices, a rottenness begins in his conduct."
Here are some of the politicians who have jumped ship in the last few days, only to clamour on to new vessels. Some rebelled, some were dumped, some simply walked across. All have a longing eye on office.
Politicians who switched sides:
Satpal Maharaj: The sitting Congress MP from Pauri Garwhal in Uttarakhand provoked this list. A Congressman for years, he has chosen to cross over to the BJP in a year that the party is given its best shot at grabbing power at the Centre. The former union minister said he was upset at the way the Congress had treated workers in his constituency.
Rahul Narvekar: The articulate, youthful Shiv Sena spokesman joined Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party on March 17. He was instantly rewarded with a Lok Sabha ticket from Maval. Mr Narvekar said he was quitting the Sena because he was being denied his due. He had been forced to sit out of the legislative council elections in Maharashtra after being conferred a ticket.
Mohan Rawale: It's not just the young ones. This five-term Shiv Sena MP too has joined the NCP. Rawale was expelled from Shiv Sena in December for stoking dissidence.
Jagdambika Pal: Famous for being the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh for three days, Jagdambika Pal, the sitting Congress MP from Domariyaganj, is contesting as a BJP candidate this time. With the Congress on a sticky wicket in UP, the only way he could have saved his Lok Sabha seat was to ride on the BJP's surge.
Col (Retd.) Sona Ram Choudhary: The two-term former Congress MP from Barmer is causing serious problems in the BJP "parivaar" he joined recently. Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje reportedly wants to field him as the BJP candidate in Barmer, a seat that senior leader Jaswant Singh has his heart set on.
Ram Kripal Yadav: Lalu Prasad's closest aide stunned political circles by joining the BJP earlier this month. He was miffed that Lalu decided to field his daughter from Patliputra, the Bihar seat he wanted to contest. The BJP is now fielding him from there. .
Vijay Singh Kushwaha: A close friend of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and husband of state industries and disaster management minister Renu Kushwaha has been fielded as the BJP candidate from Madhepura. His wife quit Nitish Kumar's cabinet too.
Hema Gamang: The former Congress MP and wife of former Odisha chief minister Giridhar Gamang has joined Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal, seen as the likely winner of this year's elections in the state - Parliament and assembly.
Bidyut Mahato: A sitting Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, or JMM lawmaker from Baharagora in Jharkhand joined the BJP earlier this week. Hours later, he was announced as the BJP candidate from Jamshedpur.
Purnamasi Ram: The JD(U) MP from Gopalganj was expelled on February 27 for indulging in anti-party activities. He has now joined Congress, and has been allotted the party ticket from Gopalganj.
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