1063 There are no permanent friends or enemies in Politics-- This maxim prevailed even in Mahabharata times.

There are no permanent friends or enemies in Politics-- This maxim prevailed even in Mahabharata times. When we see what has happened and what is happening in karnataka and Bengal, we get an impression that NOT HAVING PERMANENT FRIENDS OR ENEMIES IN POLITICS is a recent 20th or 21st Century Phenomenon. It is not. It existed even during Mahabharata times.

Proof. Mahabharata, Adi Parva,4th AsvAsa (Chapter)

వ. ‘మఱి యట్లుంగాక రాజులకుఁ గార్యవశంబునం జేసి మిత్త్రామిత్త్ర సంబంధములు సంభవించుం గావున మా యట్టి రాజులకు మీయట్టి పేదపాఱువారలతోఁ గార్యకారణం బైన సఖ్యం బెన్నండును గానేరదు’ అని ద్రుపదుం డైశ్వర్యగర్వంబున మెచ్చక పలికిన విని, ద్రోణుం డవమాన జనిత మన్యుఘూర్ణమానమానసుం డయి యెద్దియుం జేయునది నేరక పుత్త్రకళత్రాగ్నిహోత్రశిష్య గణంబులతో హస్తిపురంబునకు వచ్చె;

In Roman Script: "mari yaTlu kAka, rAjulaku kArya vaSambunan cEsi, mitrA amitra sambandhamulu sambhavincun, kAvuna mA yaTTi rAjulaku mI yaTTi pEda pAruvAralatO kArya kAraNamb aina sakhyambu ennaDunu kA nEradu". ani drupadunD aiSvarya garvambuna meccaka palikina vini, drONunDu avamAna janita manyu ghUrNa mAna mAnasunDai yeddiyun cEyunadi nEraka putra kaLatrA agnihotra Sishya gaNambula tOn hasti purambunaku vachche.

English gist: "...If not in that manner (If not in the preceding manner), kings for the purposes of accomplishment of their work (goals, tasks etc.), get friendship and animosity (enemity) relationships. Hence, between Kings like us, and the poor Brahmins like you, a relationship of Task (kArya) and its reason (kAraNam) will never arise". When, Panchala King (present Punjab), out of his arrogance arising from his prosperity, spoke derisively, the (Great Archery Teacher) drONA with a bent head from the burden of insult and rebuke, went to Hastinapura City with his children, wife, Fire, teams of disciples.

ybrao-a-donkey's note: In those days, when there were no match boxes or gaslighters to ignite sacrificial fires, Brahmanas used to carry their fire-pots from place to place along with them, while on movement. For Brahmins, in those days, it was both an onerous and a sacred duty.

21st Century Examples

Shri Narendra Modi, Hon. Prime Minister of India. He might have worked like a slave, whenever Messrs. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani, Shri Murali Manohar Joshi visited BJP Offices and RSS Offices, till he was made Chief Minister of Gujarat.

In 2018 Bengal Panchayat Elections: CPM and BJP have come together in electoral adjustments in Panchayat Elections, to defeat Trina Mul Congress. Result: Massive violence, leading to death of 16 people.

Chandra Babu Naidu and Narendra Modi were allies in 2014 Lok Sabha Elections. Today, they are bitter enemies.