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Journalism of Courage
Whatever the other ambiguities of the 1998 elections — and there are many — the Congress cannot complain of a lack of clarity about its own verdict. The party has improved its tally from 1996, but the message clearly is for it to sit in opposition for the term of this Lok Sabha. Any attempt to deny that and make misguided attempts at forging a coalition with the United Front, a force which has been far more unequivocally discredited than the Congress, would be suicidal. It will make sure that the further decline of the grand old party, just about arrested, begins anew with accelerated momentum. It is heartening that Congress stalwart Sharad Pawar, flush with his spectacular victory in Maharashtra, has said that a tally of 245 or more for the BJP and its allies implies that the prerogative to form the government belongs to that grouping. But he needed to have gone further. Whether or not the BJP and allies crossed the 245 mark, the BJP still is clearly the single largest party, and the Congress would takeliberties with that fact at its own peril. There is the other matter of convincing a party rank and file desperate for power after nearly two years of deprivation and the prospect of several more. But the Congress, if it is to survive in any meaningful way, must make that effort. The electorate has handed it an opportunity to win a new lease of life. This has been the result of at least three factors: disgust with the UF, disenchantment with the BJP and its allies in Maharashtra and Rajasthan, and the one-time bonus of Sonia Gandhi’s campaign. Importantly, the Sonia "magic" has been seen to work not in a vacuum but only where the party already had a strong organisational presence. Where the incumbents fell from grace, it became even more pronounced, such as in Maharashtra. What Sonia has done is win a beleaguered party a much-needed reprieve. It is now up to that party to use this reprieve to sit — constructively for a change — in opposition, introspect and work on itself. Or it can fritter its energies intrying to forge an immoral coalition which in any case would be doomed to a short life, and sign its own death warrant in the longer term.
The crux of the Congress’ predicament is that looking to a charismatic leader without party rejuvenation and programmatic reinvention will do nothing for it. What is more, Sonia was a one-trick pony and cannot come to its rescue any more. That would not have been the case had she led it to victory. As it happens, she has made a difference on the margin, but she has also finished herself as the Congress’ much-vaunted inspiration. The Congress" fortunes apart, Sonia Gandhi’s fortunes as the party’s presiding deity look none too good. And so, at a moment when the party can sigh with relief at having escaped disaster while ruing Sonia’s failure to win it the country, the Congress will begin grappling with its familiar leadership crisis. An obvious candidate is at hand in Sharad Pawar after his new win. But given the Congress’ talent for torturing itself, the matter will notbe resolved painlessly. Yet the party, if it can suppress its short-term ambition, has time on its side. If it accepts remaining in opposition as long as it must, it can stop trying to lead or dislodge governments and work on giving itself a future for the 21st century.
