Clueless Congress Wins Election

Congress Party, which few days back was sulking for allies in post-poll environment and predicting its own lack of numbers to form next government, surprised everyone with election results. Congress party won 201 seats much above its own expectations.

At the end of fifth phase of polling Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi had made admission of his party’s impending failure and his desperation to form government with support from his opposition parties, he even went on to name his Andhra Pradesh opponent Mr Naidu as his next possible ally just before Andhra Pradesh went to elections and Rahul Gandhi hadn’t expected that his party will gain even 29 seats ( that it held in 2004) against 33 that Congress Party won in this election.

Confusion was not only about one state, Congress Party was unsure of its own gambit in Uttar Pradesh, it hadn’t imagined its wildest dreams that the party would end up winning 22 seats, Congress had even second thought about its own ally but was quite sure of stupendous performance by party’s opponents be it Mayawati in UP or Jayalalitha in Tamil Nadu.

Congress is now as much surprised at its win in several states like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and W Bengal and as it is at the success of Rahul Gandhi’s strategy of going alone in UP. Congress in not basking the glory it hadn’t dreamed for long time.

The Rise and Illusion of Political Kingmakers

This nation of kings/rajas was replaced by the democratically elected representatives but now new political class is emerging all over India. This election has brought up hordes of politicians who now claim to be kingmaker for next government. Every party chief now seem to have become kingmaker in next government or so they claim.

It all started when the communist block leaders claimed that it will be they who will decide who will form the next government and who will be the next prime minister. Since then almost everyday one or the other head of a political party has started making such claims. First, it was Lalu Yadav, who claimed himself as kingmaker for being leader of the Fourth Front and decider of who will be prime minister. Then, it was turn of BJD leader Navin Patnayak, who claimed that he will become kingmaker in next government and it could be any one of his favorites –Prakash Karat or Sharad Pawar could be next PM, hurling more names to all ready overcrowded list of wannabe PMs in this country.

Later, JD(S) chief Deve Gowda felt the need to be in space of kingmakers, though not in condition to play kingmaker himself, Mr. Gowda asserted that his party along with communist parties will play decisive role in next government. Following his footsteps Mr Vaiko perfectly timed his statement with Tamil Nadu reeling under Lankan tamil issue, Mr Vaiko claimed that Tamil Nadu will play decisive role in formation of next government and he would like Ms Jayalalitha to be next PM.

Almost every party, which is in governance or sulking loss of power has suddenly realised that they would be the next kingmaker in Indian politics none the less they fail to realise how narcissist they have become, who continuously fail to recognise not only country’s problem but also to get their politics right.

Alliances and Fronts for Fortune and Political Bargain

As India goes for polls, political parties are vying for electorate and even more for opponent political parities. Ever since alliances gained prominence in national governance, national parties have weakened. In last five years all the national parties, with exception of BSP, have lost their foothold and political might. This political development has made them increasingly dependent on regional parties.

This election, regional parties have gained a new prominence and notoriety in forming alliances some time multiple and confusing alliances. What is more atrocious about these alliances unlike the previous alliance formations like NDA/UPA, is that they have no agenda and political vision for this country nor do they intend to present the electorate with any vision document.

Parties don’t want to emphasize their development agenda as they are totally unsure of which political block they belong to, political parties such has BJD has created totally new political ideological dimension of “center-right-left” party where as NCP and RJD are toying with both right and left. Parties such as TDP, DMK,AIADMK, and numerous smaller parties with suffixes such as ‘lok dal’, “rastrawadi” and “samajwadi” don’t mind which party governs the nation if they get their political cut.

Then there is Communist block and BSP, who don’t mind anything about any political party if they are non-Congress and non-BJP. They have nothing do with the political ideology of such parties if they are willing to support their next government. No body seems to mind even if alliance partners are fighting each other unless their egos are satisfied. In some states BJP/Congress have to beg smaller parties to be allowed and accommodated with a few seats in such regions for promise of backing government at center.

This election almost every political party is worried about future of the party but not the country. Smaller regional parties have no vision for national development and they are not bothered either as their primary interest lies in the cabinet berth and sops for their region. None of them are interest in socio-economic plan of this country for next five years, which will benefit the nation as a whole and will percolate down to every state and region.