Tales of Travesty
Dr. Jitendra Singh
A candid remark by a senior opposition leader that ”third front is a history” provoked an unusual furore but what those agitated by this innocuous remark failed to realise is that even if their contention is conceded that ‘third front is not a history”, they will still have little to feel proud about the “history of “third front” in post-Independence India.
To put it in a single sentence, even though it might sound somewhat unsavoury, the socalled “Third” Front in the realms of Indian politics during the last 65 years has essentially been a rather “Prime Ministerial” Front comprising mostly those who were convinced about their individual credentials to become the Prime Minister of India but had somehow missed the bus and consequently at the twilight of their political careers found themselves in a hurry to try alternative means or the “Third Front” means to realise their dream-ambition. The past “Third Front” Prime Ministers including Charan Singh and Chandra Shekhar stand out as unenviable examples.
To begin with, India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru stayed put in office for too long during which period of over 17 years, many deserving claimants like Sardar Patel, Rajagopalachari and Abu Kalam Azad left for heavenly abode and many other claimants from ruling Congress party like Kamaraj, S.K. Patil, Y.V. Chavan, Nijalingappa and Morarji Desai were left ageing and sulking. Not surprisingly, in the last days of Nehru, a European author came out with a best-seller book titled “After Nehru who?”
Now, just look back at the fate of the first “Third Front” that propped up after the defeat of Congress Party followed by collapse of Janata Party. An unstable conglomerate threw up Charan Singh as Prime Minister who had never made a secret of his lifetime dream to become Prime Minister of India by hook or by crook. Charan Singh made history as a Prime Minister who never got to unfurl tricolour at the Red Fort because his tenure lasted just six months before the Congress led by Indira Gandhi pulled the rug from under his feet. Many years later, another “Third Front” Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar lasted for just over seven months. Equally dismal was the fate of much hyped “Third Front” Prime Minister V.P. Singh who went down as a trigger of countrywide riots over “Mandal” report. H.D. Deve Gowda and I.K. Gujral were forgotten even before they could receive a mention in the list of past Prime Ministers.
A similar ambition though not in so similar milieu is once again being witnessed today. There has accumulated over the last two decades a long queue of Prime Ministers-in-waiting who are restless to try their luck through “Third Front” means. Mulayam Singh, Laloo Prasad Yadav, Mayawati……to name only a few. History, it is said, repeats itself….first time it is tragedy, second time a farce. While the story of prime ministerial ambition of Charan Singh, Chandra Shekhar, V.P. Singh et al, even though accomplished, culminated in a tragic exit, the story of Mulayam Singh, Laloo Prasad Yadav, Mayawati et al may remain unaccomplished and culminate in a farce.
Viewed from another angle, however, the mushrooming of Prime Ministerial aspirants eyeing on “Third Front” could be construed as a tribute to Indian democracy which allows room for so many to bid for the post of Prime Minister. Albeit with willing or unwilling endorsement of the common man who is a silent witness to this circus of ambitions prompting Umapathy to drop the Ghalib phrase “Hazaaron Khwaashen Aisi Ke Har Khwash Pe Dum Nikle…….”
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