Democracy Needs Credible Opposition

Prof N.K. Singh

Former Chairman International Airports Authority of India

After the recent sweep of four out of five state elections in the country, fears are being expressed in the corridors of power and offices that it might not lead to what is commonly called the Congress Mukt Bharat but Virodh Mukt Bharat which could be end of the democracy. It is, therefore, imperative for all parties not to form mahagatbandhan but to examine their own working to develop and grow new leaders who could match the skill and ability or oration in the government. The parties without examining the strategies are blindly running after failed project of a mahagatbandhan.      United fight is desperate method to somehow stop or vanquish Modi. This agenda cannot be sold to people of the country who are interested in policies and work rather than demolishing Modi.

The opposition has become so mortified that it does not see if they fight nationwide elections for defeating Modi it cannot be attractive agenda for the public. This also shows disconnect between the lofty leaders and the ground. A senior leader of the Congress confided with me recently at Delhi “No one has time to listen to you and take action on issues. Das das saal se leader Rajya Sabha main baithen hain but do not know what is the plight of junta. Worse there is no shame in getting defeated, we hear everywhere ‘our vote share is the same. UP does not matter, we have won in Punjab so what. Is it the way to deal with leaders who come from the state to Centre for consultation face the ‘never mind’ crowd at high command secretariat.” We have to groom empathetic leaders in the opposition. The opposition must bring accountable leaders who own responsibility when they fail and enjoy with the crowd when they win.

As situation of brute majority existed during Nehru time but very effective opposition leaders made Nehru to rethink many things. I have heard Ashok Mehta in Parliament and how logical the debating was in the house. Ram Manohar Lohia made the government think about the most important issue of poverty by raising question of poor man’s income. Madhu Limaye made a name for himself in use of privilege motions. Even Communist leader A.S. Dange and Jyoti Basu were heard with respect and had influence on the state policies. Jai Prakash Narayan and Shyma Prasad Mukerjee were top leaders. What we have today? Lalu Prasad, a jester, or Kapil Sibal of zero loss theory. Kejriwal has already done acrobatics and lost the credibility. The Communists have lost their past glory not in terms of number in the legislatures but even in caliber and logical debating to bring the government to halt. D. Raja and Sitaram Yechury have not much connect with the people at large except the JNU crowd. What is left is only walkouts or hooliganism.

In human resource development, we teach that developing leadership involves what is called ‘uncovering’. It envisages removing the top to bring talent that was so far not growing up and is shadowed by the obsolete aging leaders. If the opposition has to be effective, it must bring to the house and even in spokespersons younger element or seasoned troops that are respected and have clean image. Why can not parties try second layer of state leadership following uncovering method? Had it been followed in North East, the Congress would not have seen the debacle. Why Himanta Biswa Sarma could not be heard and had to go to the BJP to become their strategist to oust the Congress from its traditional stronghold in NE.

Similar situation exists elsewhere. Although Himachal is a docile, state yet a change could benefit it as the Congress could get another term if younger clean and state level leaders like Kaul SIngh Asha Kumari or Viplov Thakur are groomed to take higher tasks. The BJP has already developed leaders like J.P. Nadda and Satpal Satti. But nothing seems to move in status quoits Congress as well as opposition. Nitish Kumar can be brought to the national stage and he is capable to energise the scene but he is mired in lawless Bihar joining wrong partners. Nevertheless he is potential leader to bring sense of right direction to the opposition. Why cannot Communist leaders join a ‘marg darshak mandal’ and bring younger element?    I wish for the sake of preserving democracy, it is imperative for the opposition to be effective but it needs credible leaders who have integrity and caliber to match the government. It is not difficult but it might not happen that all of them sit together for strategic rethink and bring out from its fold credible leaders otherwise it is bound to sink. They may follow age old failed game of mahagatbandhan without a common agenda or principle or ideology only to perish.

Bus Stand

First Passenger: What does Congress think about EVMs?

Second Passenger: They think it is moody as in Karnataka it works but failed in Himachal.

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