It is not for want of desire that the Congress has not responded favourably to the offer of support made by some opposition parties if it makes a bid to form a government. What must have weighed with the Congress Working Committee on Tuesday when it just took note of the suggestion of a Congress-led government made by former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar is the hard political reality. Whether the BJP-led coalition remains stable or not, there has been little change insofar as the position of the Congress is concerned. Even if the ruling coalition breaks up as a result of the BJP's indiscretions or Jayalalitha's belligerence, it does not mean that the Congress will be able to stake its claim to form a government. The difficulties parties like the CPI(M) and the Telugu Desam will have in openly associating themselves with the Congress apart, a government so formed will be perpetually under pressure from its potential patrons like Jayalalitha. There is no guarantee that the Congress will succeed where the BJPhas failed. For instance, even if the Congress wants to dismiss the DMK government, it will not be able to do so because parties like the Janata Dal and the CPI(M) will stoutly oppose the move. Needless to say, such a hotchpotch government will be as unstable as the one it replaces.Why then are parties like the CPI, the Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Janata Dal keen on installing a Congress government? To be fair to them, they had made such a proposal right in the beginning when election results had indicated that the United Front had no chance of forming a government. Their reasons are not far to seek. Laloo Prasad Yadav and Mulayam Singh Yadav cannot feel at home in their home states with the BJP calling the shots from Delhi. The wheeler-dealers in the Left cannot but nostalgically recall the days during the UF regime when they could have their favourites appointed to key positions of power. They all naturally long to have a friendly, pliable government at the Centre. After all, they have theirfiefdoms and interests to protect. It is for these very reasons that those who had made anti-Congressism a hallmark of their political career should themselves plead for a Congress-led government. They also know that in case the government falls, the loser will solely be the Congress.This being the case there is no reason why the Congress should go out of its way to help them achieve their narrow, selfish objectives. In fact, the Congress will do well to play its part as the main opposition party in the belief that the contradictions inherent in the BJP coalition will one day bring its government down and facilitate an early election. In such a scenario, the party will be able to cash in on the failures of the BJP to provide a stable government and honour its pre- and post-election promises.And as long as the BJP is in power, the Congress has little to fear that it will radically alter the established order. The BJP government's inability even to dismiss a state government, not to speak of doing awaywith Article 370, is what should encourage the Congress to remain content to sit on the opposition benches.
