We continue with our post on the drama surrounding the no confidence vote.3. The BJP: Originally, it was the BJP and more generally, the Opposition NDA that stood to gain most from the certain embarrassment and possible fall of the Government. Instead, the BJP emerged from Parliament looking grumpy and bitter, having played pathetic, desperate and sensationalist politics. The epic weakness of the UPA government has offered the BJP many opportunities over the years and each time the latter has been found wanting in political acumen. One can only conclude that Advani jis famed political instincts are losing their edge.
The BJP is yet to fully acknowledge that indiscipline is rife in party ranks. No party leader or party unit, including the formidable Narendrabhai has been spared the brunt of this growing phenomenon. As yet another example, 26 MLAs belonging to the party in Uttarakhand moved to New Delhi to press for the removal of Chief Minister B C Khanduri yesterday. Of course, the solution is not stifle the voices of discontent, but to create a larger system of inner party democracy, as in the US or Canada. Despite being the world's largest democracy, our political parties have never been democratic on the inside. The Consitutional requirement that all political parties hold free and fair organizational elections is fulfilled only in name and rarely ever in spirit. A system where the High Command rules by decree is no longer tenable, particularly in running a national party like the BJP. A senior BJP leader lamented: "No longer does the power lie with the organization men in the state units; the focus is on the prabhari for the state, directly nominated by the coterie of top leaders". The Congress, despite being equally large, has a distinct personality cult that is a miracle to all. As such, it does not face the challenges the BJP does.
One must also concede that the BJP was fighting heavy odds in the horse trading market for MPs votes. A number of BJP MPs will lose their seats due to delimitation and therefore, once the current Lok Sabha is dissolved, they face an uncertain political future. With the business community generally favouring stability and survival of the Manmohan Singh government over an immediate shuffling of political cards; as with Amar Singh's hands right inside Anil Ambani's deep pockets, arranging astronomical sums of money for the defecting MPs was never a challenge.
Even so, the BJP was caught blissfully unaware of the situation. It should have taken the precaution of moving its MPs into a safe house, or at the very least, some of them. The shame is that virtually all the defectors came right out of BJP ranks; while smaller parties, the more obvious suspects in terms of cross voting, took only minor hits. The BJP made an abortive bid to shame the government by waving wads of cash in Parliament, after allegedly having taped the conversation in which they were offered money to abstain. Instead the episode turned into an embarrassment for the BJP and the 3 MPs concerned looked more tainted than ever. Obviously, the BJP MPs should have known better than to trust Congress mouthpiece CNN-IBN with exposing the Government. The channel sat on the tapes even as the political class in Delhi exploded over the cash for votes controversy, leaving the 3 MPs looking like fraudsters.
4. The SP and the BSP: Interestingly, both rivals seem to have fulfilled their political objectives. The SP has managed to gain immediate political relevance and a possible alliance with Congress in the next General Elections. On the other hand, with the BJP looking ridiculous, Mayawati has bolstered her image as a viable alternative. It has also given her breathing space to prepare political ground for the next elections.
5. And finally, the people: What about them? The Oracle opines that stability is good for the economy and the people. The Prime Minister is a well meaning man and now that the backbiting from the Left is at end, he has ample opportunity to put India on a superhighway of economic reform. The people of India will have an opportunity to speak as well, when the next elections take place in due time. The lesson we need to learn is that it takes self restraint in order to become a successful democracy as well as a successful economic power.
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