Reward Prakash and Siddaramiah!
All leaders from Karnataka, who are surrounding around Sonia Gandhi in Delhi, must be sent out to distant places with some new jobs!
Trusting new comers is often better than trusting the old timers!
Karnataka is in a political turmoil. Who has turned the once model state, much-admired for its many progressive policies into a state of fight for selfish and very narrow ends? Of one’s family interests or caste or group interests?
See the plight of the parties and the leaders.
The once man of consequence, Siddaramiah, is now fighting to find his place in the state’s political space. He can’t move forward, the Congress is not clear about what to do with this leader. The Congress for that matter doesn’t know about what to do with many of the contenders for power. S.M.Krishna is likely come? What about Kharge? Or, Dharm Singh, the luckless man who didn’t get the chance to rule for a decent time. Nor about others waiting in the wings? Jaffar Sharief and many others, B.P.Patil and many deserving people?
Mrs.Sonia Gandhi didn’t do her homework carefully, it is clear. She surrounds herself so cosily, with Margarest Alva, Oscar Fernandes and Pujari Janardhan and lately with Veerappa Moily, everyone of these Delhi centred leaders aspire for the Chief Minister’s gaddy! Fine, too many leaders and practically no workers to work at the grassroots!
The tragedy of the Congress is the same in all states. No PCCs, Not even PCC Presidents, and if at all only one person, that too handpicked and the PCC can wait for the madam’s moods! No DCCs or gram level commottees, even for name sake!
Now, the state is witnessing a new sight of the JD(S) under the formidable Deve Gowda and also the BJP, waiting to avenge its humiliation at the betrayal!
The emergence of the BJP and the JD(S) in its Gowda-centric format has thrown up many other imponderable factors.
That is now represented by the M.P.Prakash factor. A fine gentleman politician, very much drawn in the vintage mould, he reminds of the old guard that gave the state a name and teputation, Nijalingappt, Ramakrishna Hegde, Veerendra Patil and others. Known for his learning and sauve character, he exudes all grace and dignity. In an ideal situation, he should have been the ideal choice for the Chief Minister’s job. Even now, he might find himself one day, rather sooner than later, leading the state.
He has vision, he has the moral stature.
What else you need in public life?
Who can come nearer to him in these qualities? None is visible!
Now, it requires some moral courage and moral stature for any leader, either as the party leader or as a CM aspirant to articulate some leadership qualities and certain vision for the future.
Unless one does it, there is no way for the Karnataka state to regain its stature in the rest of India.
What lessons we can learn from Gujarat for the use of Karnataka?
As an insightful analysis by one highly respected analyst, a former governor and a former secretary to Indira Gandhi shows first Gujarat proved many current beliefs wrong.
There is no anti-incumbency factor in Guajarat. Modi has become third time CM. This shows, Modi, as an individual might have many failing as many make it. But he is personally is not seen as corrupt, he seems a clean hand man, he hasn’t amassed wealth as most CMs have done!
So, he also shows that development, really, genuine development if it brings visible benefits to the poor then the people vote for the leader. Electricity to farmers, housing to the poor etc are cited in favour of Modi’s success.
So too Modi’s ability to cut across the castes and subcastes barriers. This is seen as a positive gain for the Gujarat state and might also be a lesson for other states where castes are still used as a weapon in elections.
So, now back to Karnataka.
What can save Karnataka from the present splits and further splits?
Karnataka is a model state for India. The state has emerged as the showcase for the Western world, nay, for the entire world. Bangalore is the Silicon Valley of India and the new economic development model requires a CM who is modern, forward looking and not a son of the soil type!
One has to understand the modern economy dynamics; Bangalore’s urbanisation spree requires a person who can foresee developments in an international perspective.
Bangalore is also home to a cosmopolitan culture, its intellectual elite are admired and so we need a state government that responds to new ideas and innovations.
Prakash fits the bill!
Prakash has asked the Congress to give his followers the seats they lost now. This is fair and reasonable and Sonia Gandhi should concede in her wisdom! So, too Sonia Gandhi must now elevate Siddaramiah to the PCC chair.
The majority community leaders must be respected and duly recognised.
It is time Sonia Gandhi learns some lessons. Otherwise, as Delhi based observers have pointed out, that the Congress and even the BJP might lose their mainstream parties status and combined, they both might become one of the other regional parties, in terms of number of seats in the Lok Sabha in the next elections.
Congress is becoming a clueless party, it gave all the defectors from Modi seats in the elections and they all lost! So, Congress is seen as a highly opportunistic party. This is very bad and for the party with such a long history and great many traditions, there is a need for Sonia Gandhi to do a great deal of modest approach in power politics.
She can’t squander away India’s great political legacy! She need not capture power in Delhi by adopting very short-sighted approach to individuals. She has been playing favourites with all sorts of unqualified persons! This she should desist!
She should really consult the older generation Congressmen who are luckily are in plenty in the states.
Jawaharlal Nehru headed a party and remained in power for 17 long years, winning elections after elections and this he was able to do only with leaders in the states, many of whom were almost of equal stature to Nehruji. But Nehru was able to lead them thanks to his personal qualities of head and heart.
Where are the head and the heart of the Congress leadership?
Please allow Manmohan to make an honourable exit. Choose the leaders in Delhi and in the states in a more honourable and a democratic manner.
Remove all those who had some whiff of a scandal, more personal and financial corruption!
This is the first requirement.
Search for the older generation families that stood by the Congress.
Please remove the late-comers, the defectors and other self-seekers.
As an all India leader Sonia Gandhi can reward and punish and she should reward the worthy individuals who have been kept out, as in the nomination of the Presidential and Vice Presidential nominations. So too in the choice of Governors, Rajya Sabha members, as Ambassadors.
Presently under Manmohan Singh all the fossils are brought to life and show cases! All the deadwood must go!
Reward Prakash, reward Siddaramiah and reward the majority community leaders with a judicious choice of minority leaders.
Loyalty is a tricky word. Sonia Gandhi is afraid of talented persons. But she should realise that in politics one should learn lessons from defeat.
What is the point and how long she can go on loosing states after states?
One day or other she should realise she must be ready to live without power! India is greater than an individual. So, we should all din the message: let everyone of us realise that India will still be going on when you and I are no more around!
Philosophy? Sometimes, nay, many times philosophy helps!