There will be only 33 mourners when, not if, the Karnataka government falls — Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and his 32 ministerial colleagues. Everyone else in the state would heave a sigh of relief. They are sick of the government that never seemed to be in the saddle. All that Kumaraswamy has done in these 13 months is ensure his survival and promote the Gowda clan.
But Kumaraswamy has reasons to blame the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which never had any compunction about its relentless attempts to topple the Congress-JD(S) government, whatever it may take — saam, daam, dand, or bhed. As it is, politics is about power and public morality is for losers. You couldn’t have forgotten those gems from villain Eric Qualen in 1993 blockbuster, Cliffhanger: “Kill a few people, they call you a murderer. Kill a million and you are a conqueror.” Such is the response every time the BJP destabilises an opposition-ruled government.
The Congress has been whining about the BJP’s predatory politics without showing the character or spine to counter it. It’s been going on for so long that people have stopped sympathising with a loser. If there were some saner voices in the Congress, they would be celebrating the likely ouster of Kumaraswamy government, which looked inevitable ever since its formation in May 2018. Not because the chief minister has been crying in public and laying the blame at the Congress’ door for his non-performance.
They should celebrate because the downfall in Karnataka offers the Congress an opportunity to revive itself here and in many other states.
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Let’s start with Karnataka. There is nothing for the Congress in this government, except disrepute and discredit for propping up a hugely unpopular regime and a few crumbs in the form of ministerial portfolios to keep some partymen happy. The Congress is only losing on the ground due to its association with the JD(S). A friend’s parents in Mysore, traditional Congress voters, opted for the BJP candidate in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. Their reason: “Look at the blatant family-oriented politics of the Gowdas (HD Deve Gowda and his family)! Enough of dynasty politics.” A Congressman was contesting from Mysore and losing traditional party supporters due to dynasty politics in the JD(S)!
BJP candidate Pratap Simha defeated the Congress-JDS alliance candidate by over 1.38 lakh votes in Mysore, the Vokkaliga stronghold. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Simha’s victory margin over the Congress candidate was a little over 31,000 votes when the Congress and the JD(S) had contested separately. The combined voteshare of the Congress and the JD(S) candidates in 2014 was 1.07 lakh more than Simha’s.
Come to think of it, if there were no JD(S), the Congress would have no rival for the votebanks of Vokkaligas, Muslims and some other communities in southern Karnataka where the BJP is gradually expanding its footprints. A weakened JD(S) is always an advantage to the Congress. That’s the reason why saner voices in the Congress should celebrate the inevitable fall of the Kumaraswamy government. The national party may lose a few ministerial seats and fail, for now, in its ill-advised and ill-conceived crusade to stop the BJP from coming to power at any cost, but getting rid of a regional rival should serve its cause better in the long run.
In fact, this should be the template for the new Congress president in many other states, notably Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Telangana, Haryana and Delhi, among others.
One can’t miss the irony of the Congress desperately clinging on for survival to Lalu Yadav clan in Bihar and Mulayam Singh Yadav clan in Uttar Pradesh — those who were instrumental in its decimation in the Hindi heartland three decades ago. The only hope for revival the Congress has in these states is in the death of the Rashtriya Janata Dal in Bihar and the Samajwadi Party — and also the Bahujan Samaj Party — in UP. Similarly, if it can, it should help in the destruction of the Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh because Jagan Mohan Reddy is there to stay for a while.
Also read: After Modi, now Arvind Kejriwal wants to forcibly retire corrupt Delhi officials
It may sound a wee bit ambitious but for the Congress to have any hope of revival in West Bengal, it should first hope for the end of Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress – which only the BJP is in a position to achieve – and then strive to occupy the opposition’s space. That is premised on the fact that the Left Front is too battered and scattered to regroup again. It’s not a five-year project. It’s a long and arduous process. But it is probably the only option the Congress has in states with multiple political stakeholders even as it grapples with the BJP in states with bipolar polity and at the national level.
In states where the BJP is threatening to dislodge regional parties, it’s foolhardy to join forces with the latter. These regional parties have occupied what was essentially the Congress’ political and ideological space. Since the Congress is too weak to fight with them and regain this space, a better option for the Congress is to let the BJP accomplish the mission of destroying regional parties. The Congress should, in the mean time, work to occupy the principal opposition space. Once these third parties are out of the scene or are relatively irrelevant, the Congress would be better placed for one-on-one battles with the BJP, in state after state and nationally.
Yes ! An excellent analysis and articulation as well as guide for the Congress.
Congress has not got many options, in fact, in the present circumstances and it should not be worried for that. This is rather cycle of the political history which always happens everywhere. Situation appears to be peculiar in India because Congress was blessed with the legacy of freedom struggle which enabled it to rule the country for long. There was no party to be called the Opposition Party …. Either the Congress was playing opposition to itself in the form of very tall Leaders having diversent views keeping checks on the govt or the splinter leaders who came out of Congress basically not able to cope with Nehru. This gave the notion to the Congress and Congressmen that they were born to rule and rule for ever. They don’t besically know the skill of sitting in opposition. But, this never happens in any democracy. Besides power made Congress very complecent, arrogant, dynast and even corrupt.
Bhartiya Janasangh (now the BJP) was yet to born when Congress took to power. For years together they struggled and waited and now finally could come to power. In fact, Congress should have been in a position, and have the moral courage, to tell BJP – abhi toh bahut bachche ho, thoda seekho humse! But alas! All the Congress’ great work done to the country had been undone in last few years of it’s rule and it was left with nothing but all bad names for everything. All it’s glamour and stamina and courage to teach others have gone.
BJP, though has stolen Mahatma from Congress but in action it is close to Chankya’s political ethos than to Mahatma’s ideology. Do everything to reach the goal – there is nothing good or bad if the desired result is achieved. If course, this was not expected of BJP. As student of Political Science, I always was made to conclude that the Communist and BJP are cadre and ideology based parties and are very different than others…… But come on! this was academics – the chance came and they too became the same race. For the first time in the Country, the Prime Minister boosted that some of Didi’s legislators were in talk of BJP and would soon cross the floor. Though Congress had given birth to horse trading – even Indira ji never boosted so. This used to be the business of back office people. BJP has not taken the leaf, but the entire book from the Congress and has made the game too transparent. … anyone can come, bargain and enjoy the fruit of power … people with years of commitment to the party can hold and wait! Say if the yesteryears Haryana’ Saya ram Gaya ram happens in Bengal the Govt can be called a BJP govt! BJP, however, commands the Love of people and people may forgive it for everything for the time being.
The writer is very correct in observing that the sooner Karnataka govt falls is better. Every day’s struggle for survival at taxpayers money may come to end at least. But BJP appears bent upon making the govt which may happen sooner than later. Otherwise, dismissing the govt and having elections under President rule may be the ideal option.
In every state, Regional Parties are crumbling from the jolts of BJP – RJD in Bihar, SP/BSP in UP, TDP in AP etc
and this is good for the country. All these parties have outlived their lives and have become irrelevant. This will eventually result in two party system in our Country and will be all the good for our democracy.
Congress should hold, observe and study. It must contain itself, go too slow and refrain from any misadventures. It has already lost a lot and is not in a position to lose further. It must cure itself from the ills it suffer from, get up and prepare itself for a very robust role of constructive and solid opposition. Two leaders of BJP used to be too much visible in Parliament. Congress do have leaders of calibre having great experience in governance knowing the art of politics too. They must rebuild itself and try going solo everywhere except for their trusted partners. They should go back to their past and make the young India known of it’s past glory. They should also refrain from cursing themselves too much. Fact remains the Country still see towards them for the great role and they must come come upto country’s expectations.