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Political Dairy
UPA In Tailspin
STUCK IN INDEFINITE LIMBO
By Poonam I Kaushish
New Delhi, November 20, 2007
It was a collision waiting to happen. Amidst the
Congress-Left Parties continuing spat over the nuclear deal,
the Congress’ doublespeak on Nandigram, the DMK’s derision of
Lord Ram over Ram Setu, the RJD’s raucous volley on rising
prices, the NCP’s stealthy subterfuge in Maharashtra and the
BSP playing hardball. One thing emerges crystal clear: all is
not well with the Congress-led UPA Government and, indeed,
with the Congress itself. Any which way.
It remains to be seen whether there will be a mid-course
correction? Or will it lead to an ignominious end of the
coalition or yield to a new Front? Will the Left and other
allies back-off as usual? Or, will the Congress have the last
laugh?
The winter session of Parliament is still in its first week
and the air is bristling with resentment. Reaching ludicrous
proportions wherein it is difficult to distinguish between the
Treasury and the Opposition Benches. Perhaps, it is too early
to call it quits for the UPA Government. The alternate of a
‘communal’ BJP is too scary. What to say of the MPs mortal
fear of losing power and pelf by going for early polls.
However, one thing is obvious. The tu-tu-mein-mein between the
foes-turned-friends, going on from Day One of the UPA’s
formation, has turned acerbic. The Congress, too, is fed up of
backseat driving. But unlike in the past, the face-off over
each and every issue is sure to widen the cracks drastically,
which could well lead to a point of no return.
Specially, post the Assembly elections in UP wherein the
Congress had to eat the humble pie while its bete noire, BJP,
has formed the Government in Karnataka, its first in the
South. The coming State polls in Gujarat and Himachal too hold
no beacon for the party’s revival. A weak Congress is fodder
for the allies who are busy extracting their pound of flesh.
No matter the thunder and volley alongwith the show of
strength (sic) at the AICC session in New Delhi last Saturday.
Dichotomy Exposed
The signs are already there. The Congress response to the
Nandigram violence over the setting up of a SEZ since March
last exposes the dichotomy. Instead of slamming the CPM, the
Congress ambivalence over the West Bengal Government’s brutal
action exposes it as a Party in a no-man’s land. Shockingly,
it refused to denounce Chief Minister Buddhadeb
Bhattacharjee’s “moral and legal” justification of armed Left
cadres “recapturing” the district from the farmers.
All it was willing to express was that “the violence is
regrettable….it should not have happened…could not be condoned
by any civilised society... law and order is a state subject,
but the Centre has provided CRPF forces there and the Home
Minister has assured that whatever is needed to be done will
be done." Nothing more, nothing less. Never mind that the
Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Priyaranjan
Dasmunshi called it “state-sponsored massacre” and its State
unit termed it a “genocide” and demanded imposition of
President’s rule.
Worse, both the Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh conveniently chose to ignore the State
Governor Gopal Gandhi’s unprecedented indictment of the State
Government in his letter to the Chief Minister wherein he
stated, “The manner in which the recapture of Nandigram
villages is being attempted is totally unlawful and
unacceptable…Nandigram has become a war zone. No Government or
society can allow a war zone to exist without immediate and
effective action…Thousands of villagers have been intimidated
into leaving their homes.
Ironically, the very same Congress continues to accuse
Narendra Modi’s Government in Gujarat for the Godhra genocide.
Arguably, are the Gujarat Muslims different from the Bengal
Muslims, killed and gang raped in Nandigram? Whatever happened
to upholding secularism?
The plight of the Grand Dame of Indian politics is
understandable. By keeping the CPM in good humour, Sonia
Gandhi ensures that the Government stays afloat. The Congress,
with only 145 MPs in the Lok Sabha, is critically dependent on
the support of 61 Left MPs Left and Co for its survival. But
it has to grapple with the question of how much space should
it cede to the Left. And it’s rippling effect on the other
allies.
Country In Suspended Animation
The Left has now allowed the Government to negotiate with the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). But with a rider:
get back to us before operationalising the deal. Undoubtedly,
backseat driving pays rich dividends with the CPM having its
cake and eating it too. No matter it has pushed the country
into suspended animation.
Moreover, in the event of the Left deciding to network the
other allies on key policy issues like price rise,
disinvestment, FDI, insurance, reforms, sale of PSUs, foreign
policy etc. it could adversely affect Manmohan Singh’s
governance agenda.. Worse, with ministers pulling in different
directions, the Prime Minister has very little elbow room.
Fire-fighting is fast becoming the signature tune of the UPA.
Adding to the Congress woes, all its allies have gone hammer
and tongs against Finance Minister Chidambaram for ‘goofing
up’ on the prices front. True inflation has come down, but
consumer prices are on the upswing. Sonia’s staunchest ally,
RJD’s Lalu Yadav castigated the Congress for ‘giving short
shrift’ to the aam aadmi and the farmers. “Yeh GDP, FEP kya
hai, aloo-pyaaz itna mehanga kyun hai?”
In Maharashtra, mistrust between the Congress and NCP has led
to a tit-for-tat policy. Both are wary of each other and
fought the panchayat and municipal polls separately early this
year. With each party nursing grand ambitions of ruling the
State independent of the other, the strain in this marriage of
convenience is widening. Why NCP. Even the tiny Peasant sand
Workers Party’s (PWP) ensured the defeat of the Congress in
the zilla parishad poll.
Other allies too are upset with the Congress’ Big Brother
attitude. If in Tamil Nadu, it is the ruling DMK, in Jammu &
Kashmir it is Mufti’s PDP. In Chennai, Karunanidhi is shooting
his mouth in all directions be it heaping scorn on Lord Ram or
demanding the demolition of the Ram Setu, his flip-flop on the
nuclear deal and the latest wanting a new federal
Constitution!
The RJD’s Lalu and the BSP’s unreliable Mayawati too are there
as long as it suits them. Mayawati has made no bones that she
has her eyes on the Prime Ministership. Ditto is the case with
Laloo. Till such time, they are busy extracting their pound of
flesh to woo their vote-banks. See how the allies bludgeon the
Government on increasing the subsidies and giving preference
to the Muslims and other minorities. Exposing the fragile
nature of the UPA.
Revolt Within Congress
Worse, the Congress’ own house is in disarray. The Congress is
its own enemy. In Haryana, Himachal, UP, Gujarat and
Maharashtra, senior party leaders have raised the banner of
revolt. In Himachal an erstwhile Congressman was the raison de
atre for the Party’s defeat in the recent by-poll to the Lok
Sabha. And, things don’t look too rosy for the Assembly poll.
In Maharashtra, the MLAs want a change of leadership. In UP,
the party is in a comatose state without any sense of
direction. Even Gandhi scion, Rahul, acknowledged this by
stating candidly that the “challenge lay within.” In Gujarat,
the Party has no “tall leader” to take on Modi. In Karnataka,
Maharashtra Governor Krishna continues to play ducks and
drakes with the State unit.
What next? Events have their own momentum. More so in the
farcical nature of the Congress-UPA allies-Left ties and the
inherent contradiction of being arch rivals in the State
election arena. The allies have made plain their stand: Don’t
take our support for granted. It remains to be seen how long
the “tail will wag the dog”. The Congress needs to remember
the wise adage: Power breeds arrogance and arrogance leads to
defeat. Else, it should be prepared for the last tango. ----
INFA
(Copyright India News & Feature Alliance)
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