Priyanka Gandhi
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra adjusts her flower garlands as she campaigns for her mother during an election meeting at Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh earlier this year.Reuters file

Ogling away to glory. When it's not the real thing, then make do with the next best thing.

A BJP party member zooming in on a photograph of Priyanka Gandhi on his mobile phone in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly is not the first instance of a politician being caught in the act.

Could Prabhu Chavan, the BJP MLA from Aurad, be given the benefit of doubt for his claims of magnifying on the slogan below the photo?

But, there is something about BJP ministers in Karnataka and their sleazy misdemeanours.

It was not a million years ago that Laxman Savadi, CC Patil and Krishna Palemar were caught watching porn in the Karnataka Assembly. The incident took place in early 2012 and led to the axing of all three of them.

It's not as if the global leaders have fared any better or for that matter any worse.

Former US President Bill Clinton was caught on camera staring at a woman's breasts less than a month back. Big deal! Mr Clinton has found himself in far greater trouble for acts that have not just been limited to staring down inappropriately.

That's exactly the point. Politicians and their sex scandals can't be wished away; they are very much part of the deal. The only reason that MLAs are caught indulging in 'improper conduct' in the assembly is because without stretching their luck too much, that's the extent to which they can go in such a setting, and maybe hope to get away with.