Inside Track

Despite the media focus on corruption as an election issue, a majority of those whose names have figured prominently in corruption cases fro...

Despite the media focus on corruption as an election issue, a majority of those whose names have figured prominently in corruption cases from Jayalalitha and Sukh Ram to Balram Jakhar and Buta Singh, Laloo Prasad Yadav to Arif Mohammed Khan have emerged victorious. The electorate seems to have come to the conclusion that when the entire system is corrupt, there is no point singling out a few individuals. The question is whether the politician can at least deliver the goods.On the other hand, wheeler-dealers and fixers who specialise in manipulations and closed-door conclaves rather than work at the grassroots level in their constituencies have been given short shrift by the electorate. Whether it is Arjun Singh, Satish Sharma, Suresh Kalmadi, Pinaki Mishra or Pramod Mahajan, all have fallen by the wayside. This should be a lesson for those self-proclaimed Chankayas keen to extract extra mileage out of the present messy situation. Is Harkishen Singh Surjeet’s disciple, Sitaram Yechury who talks of firstvoting out a BJP government, then a Congress government and then ushering in a government of his choice listening?Hot potatoThe question of dismissal of the Tamil Nadu Government led to the fall of the last government.

Now it has come to haunt the formation of a BJP government which could turn out to be still-born. Can either Atal Behari Vajapyee or Sharad Pawar pay Jayalalitha’s price for offering support? Most of Wednesday, the jittery BJP leaders tried desperately to contact the imperious Jayalalitha asking her to send the promised letter of support. But she declined and refused even to take the phone when several emissaries called up to mediate. Apart from her numerous demands not being met even the arrest of Murasoli Maran and P. Chidambaram are reportedly on her agenda Jayalalitha was also fuming that yesterday was her birthday under the Tamil calendar but nobody from Delhi remembered to wish her.It is perhaps too much to expect that for once our power-hungry politicians will stop thinking ofpersonal gains to form a national government. Contrary to what Finance Minister P. Chidambaram would have us believe, the economy he has handed over is in a sorry shape and tough decisions will have to be taken by whichever government comes to power and no single political party is prepared to take the responsibility.

Advantage loserIt is obvious that whoever forms the government first is at a disadvantage since the contradictions in fragile alliances will come to the fore sooner rather than later. Considering the whisker-thin majority, the collapse is inevitable. By the time a second government is sworn in, political groups will be more cautious about withdrawing support since there will be nowhere to go except back to an angry electorate.Knowing all this, if Sharad Pawar is still showing unseemly haste to try and stall a possible Vajpayee government, it is because he is also aware that six months is a long time in politics and government. For a start, the first government will have the advantage ofmaking such key appointments as the Director CBI, Director IB, Secretary RAW and Cabinet Secretary.

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In no hurryLast April, when he was sacked as Prime Minister by Congress president Sitaram Kesri, Deve Gowda vowed over a glass of milk that he would seek revenge. When Kesri announced on Monday that he was stepping down as Congress President, Gowda paid a visit to the Chhatarpur temple for thanksgiving.But the rejoicing was a trifle premature. `The old man in a hurry’ gave his younger party colleagues the jitters by taking his own time about stepping down. It is not just a CWC nomination which Kesri is demanding but also a say in the party’s nominations to the Rajya Sabha.

There is a controversial hotelier whom Kesri is keen to oblige.Considering the damage the wily Kesri has inflicted on the party, Congressmen have belatedly started to appreciate the contribution of his predecessor, P.V. Narasimha Rao. In retrospect, the bribing of a few MPs was a small price to pay for a government which lasted its fullterm despite there being only 230 MPs in the ruling party.Incidentally, later this month, Rao’s semi-autobiographical novel, The Insider, is to be released by Penguin. Political grapevine is agog with rumours that the novel will create ripples in the Congress as Rao will be sniping at the Gandhi family. Actually, Rajiv Gandhi is unlikely to be mentioned at all since the novel ends in 1973. Even Indira Gandhi’s declaration of Emergency, a step which Rao privately disapproved of, does not figure. Post-1973 political events are slated for a sequel whenever that may be!Shaky futureIt is doubtful whether the geriatric board which controls Prasar Bharati will be in place much longer.

The hastily promulgated ordinance on the basis of which the Prasar Bharati board was set up automatically lapses six weeks after the constitution of the new Parliament if a bill is not passed by then to replace it. The original Prasar Bharati Bill of 1990 is in any case irrelevant by now since it prescribed a mandatory retirementage of 62 for board members, including the CEO.

EXCLUSIVE: EC brings in feature to check misuse of identity to seek voter list deletions

Political Pulse2 hr ago

The Election Commission has launched a new 'e-sign' feature on its portal and app to prevent fraud. This comes after allegations of misuse of online voter deletion forms in Karnataka. The feature requires voters to verify their identity using their Aadhaar-linked phone numbers, reducing the possibility of fraud.

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