Ask them nicely

Sushma Swaraj took the government to task on the India-US nuclear deal yesterday. Sitaram Yechury agreed. Their respective parties forced adjournments in the Rajya Sabha. Through all the BJP-CPM attack on its negotiating abilities, the government held firm, arguing that New Delhi did not plan accepting a wholly redefined agreement. This is not a short summary of just another boring day in Parliament. It is a big sign that despite its ill-informed cacophony and visceral dislikes, Indian politics has the capacity for intelligent tactical manoeuvres and robust defence of what the prime minister had once described as enlightened national interest.

As these columns observed only recently, mainstream political parties must not let elemental antipathies dictate their strategy on big issues. In a multiparty democracy that produces and will continue to produce fractured verdicts, vigorous debates need substantive alliances. We had observed that the Congress, unlike the Left and the BJP, is quite hidebound in this respect. But it must also be noted that the Congress-led government has shown admirable consistency in defending the nuclear deal in the face of not only Left-Right critics, but also armchair party insiders who had big theories on foreign policy and domestic vote banks. It must have been tempting to make politically 8216;correct8217; noises in Parliament. But treasury backbenchers haven8217;t been waving at deal-doubters behind the PM8217;s back 8212; a pretty rare occurrence in the Congress these days.

Firmness must combine with flexibility in politics however. As the Congress leadership tries to figure out a way to implement Arjun Singh8217;s quota 8212; yesterday8217;s PM-led meeting of senior leaders was 8216;inconclusive8217; 8212; it should talk not only to allies but to the Opposition as well. The BJP and the Congress have similar positions on reservations 8212; they are both scared to say anything against it publicly but privately are not completely sold on this version of social engineering and are not indifferent to institutional excellence in education. The Congress can easily widen the discussion over the when and how of the quota rules because there is no chance the BJP will refuse an invitation 8212; it will be politically 8216;incorrect8217; as well as grossly immature. Co-opting its principal rival will also lighten the load of expectations on the Congress. All it needs to do is ask.