Anil Anand
The Narendra Modi Government is already in its fourth year and the clock has started ticking for Lok Sabha poll-2019. It has been a mixed bag for the Modi dispensation so far but a dormant opposition ( read Congress) and the ruling party’s knack to create a virtue where there is none has led to BJP remaining in the fore-front with Modi as the undisputable leader.
Always in the poll mode he is raring to go to try for a second term unmindful of the fact that there has been a yawning gap between the promises held out and fulfilled, and serious issues such as Indo-Sino conflict and precariously placed Kashmir situation staring him in the eye. Still Modi is sitting pretty for the simple reason there is no vibrant leave alone aggressive opposition.
As of now thinking of 2019 the Opposition is in a quandary for simple reason that Congress, around which the much talked about Grand Alliance is to be woven, still seems to be in no mood to realise gravity of the situation and take a quick decision on its transitional issues. All eyes are on the party vice president Rahul Gandhi but his sight seems to be fixed, if at all, somewhere else.
The history of forming alliances in India suggests that the concept is ridden with perennial question as to who would be the leader of the pack, party as well as the individual. Interestingly, this fact has changed when BJP led-NDA and subsequently Congress-led UPA came into existence as the role of two national parties as the dominant partners was recognised by their allies mostly the regional players. This was a change from the chequered history of Janata Party and later National Front and United Front alliances.
This advantage continues to exist for the Congress despite the party’s internal problems and series of electoral debacles. Majority of the allies including influential partners such as Sharad Pawar ( NCP), Nitish Kumar (JD-u), Mamta Banerjee (Trinmool Congress) and Akhilesh Yadav (Samajwadi Party) have unequivocally said that Congress being a national party with pan-India presence has to lead the combine.
Not only that both Pawar and Nitish Kumar have ruled themselves out as the prospective Prime Ministerial candidate for different reasons. That further reduces the problem for alliance formation as this has been a major irritant which has in the past led to making and breaking of combines and even alliance Governments.
Fact of the matter is that the supporting parties have offered a blank cheque to Congress. Strangely enough the over century old party is in no position, which is of its own making due to perpetual indecision, to accept this situation. It is necessary to block this long spell of indecisiveness or else 2019 can prove to be a nightmare for the Congress.
With its own nationwide presence and strong ally presence in major states such as Bihar, Maharashtra, UP and West Bengal, Congress-led Grand Alliance can put a formidable challenge to Modi. The inordinate delay and indecision to elevate Rahul Gandhi as the party president or give an alternative to him if his reluctance persists, is damaging prospects of the Grand Alliance by the day.
The broader contours of the Grand Alliance are already in place and the allies prepared to play their role. Unfortunately the lead-party is dithering both in terms of its leadership and role to be played as leader of the alliance. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s revelation that he had during his meeting with Rahul suggested that Congress should come out with a programme to counter Modi and BJP, for the alliance to move forward, clearly shows as to where the problem lies. This is a clear indication that he and other allies are ready to accept Rahul as the leader.
The onus clearly lies on the Congress to set its house in order before it thinks of taking up leadership of the alliance. What lies between the ageing party and it’s attaining a younger look, are a couple of harsh decisions. Transition in political parties particularly Congress, has never been an easy game. Never has the sorting of issues and stitching of holes taken so long in the past under such situations as has happened in the AICC during last decade.
This is high time for chopping and chiselling. This is high time for the dead wood to be axed. This is high time that the leadership issue is decided without further delay, the indications are about October deadline, and a clear message is sent to both old guard and young turks in the making to either perform or perish. Congress’ allies must be praised for showing patience and temperament to bear its indecisiveness and wait for the Grand Alliance to fructify. The only silver-lining for Congress is the lack of other alternatives for the regional players to forge an anti-BJP front.
Some glimpses of how things can change and go awry for Congress were visible during Opposition parties’ efforts to select a joint Presidential candidate. Nitish Kumar’s decision to back the BJP floated nominee Ram Nath Kovind along with NCP going the same way, should be seen as a wake-up call for the Congress strategists.
The current leadership of the BJP has in a short span of time made winning a habit. This apart they are overambitious and already demonstrated that political scrupulous have no role in their theory of expansion for removed from their earlier motto of ‘party with a difference’. The manner in which pressure is being built on some of the formidable opposition leaders such as RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and West Bengal chief minister Mamta Banerjee as also Aam Aadmi Party supremo and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, only vindicates this aspect of team Modi’s political doctrine.
There is nothing new in it as all previous regimes have been using these pressure tactics to remain saddled in power. But this time around the challenge is more serious for the fledgling Congress as indecisiveness could unnecessarily lead to some of the allies breaking ranks to look for other means before next Lok Sabha elections.
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