Few people are graceful when they quit positions of power. Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda is no exception. Though several months have passed since his government was voted out of power, he is yet to reconcile himself to the loss of power.He seems to be hoping against hope that through a quirk of fate he will once again be catapulted into power. Gowda conveniently forgets that he became the United Front's nominee for the post of Prime Minister only after the constituents failed to arrive at a consensus on several other names. Of course, as a politician he is within his rights to try to bounce back to the centrestage of politics.But that does not mean that he should employ questionable means to make life miserable for his successor to the point of undermining the very stability of his government. Gowda's problems stem from his persistent belief that it was at the instance of former Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav that Congress chief Sitaram Kesri withdrew his party's support to his government. Thus his overweening ambition has been to teach the duo a lesson. Small wonder that Gowda has suddenly turned a crusader against corruption as exemplified by Laloo Yadav. It does not occur to him that if Gowda in his capacity as Prime Minister had asked Yadav to quit when the CBI took cognisance of his alleged involvement in the fodder scam, it would have served some purpose. Instead, he gave the Laloo regime a shot of legitimacy when he attended the much-touted garib railla at Patna, the objective of which was to demonstrate Yadav's organisational clout.That the humble farmer that Gowda claims to be is not so humble when it comes to dealing with his detractors is underscored by the extent to which he went to settle scores with Ramakrishna Hegde. It was the same single-minded approach that was noticeable in the developments that led to the split in the Janata Dal. He took advantage of his position as chairman of the United Front to drive Laloo Yadav to the wall. His task was made easier when Sharad Yadav became a willing tool in his hands.Gowda's political strategy cannot succeed unless the authority of the Prime Minister is weakened at least in the people's perception. This task too has been made easier by his friends like Sharad Yadav who are willing even to heckle the Prime Minister while addressing Parliament. It was the same technique that was employed when some partymen interrupted Gujral's speech at the Janata Dal national convention, forcing the Prime Minister to walk out of the session. Such an instance has few parallels even in the recent political history of the country. It is significant that Gowda thought it politically convenient to remain a mute spectator to the well-orchestrated drama. Gowda's call to root out corruption and dismiss the Rabri Devi Government would have carried conviction if he had used the same yardstick for his party chief who, unlike others, has admitted that he has taken tainted money. He should have realised that, with Sharad Yadav's refusal to quit the party post, Gowda's campaign against corruption has lost much of its sheen. But then to play the role of a spoilsport is Gowda's obsession even if it endangers the United Front's survival.
