Take a break

IT did not take long for the suave technocrat to discard his striped suit for the kurta pyjama when he plunged into the dustbowl of Indian politics nearly 25 years ago.

IT did not take long for the suave technocrat to discard his striped suit for the kurta pyjama when he plunged into the dustbowl of Indian politics nearly 25 years ago. And Ajit Singh, son of the legendary kisan leader and former prime minister the late Charan Singh, continues to kick up dust in his careening career. Perhaps, Ajit is not so much son of the soil as son of the janata 8212; he is the true legatee of the Janata Parivar8217;s 8216;split8217; personality.

In 1986, Ajit Singh entered the Rajya Sabha, when he returned to India, chucking up his job in the US, to revive the Lok Dal party founded by his father. He was the unquestioned anointed heir of Jatland, but it was not long before he cheerfully took on the Janata8217;s inherent traits. Within three years, Ajit Singh went on to become president of the Lok Dal Ajit in 1987, a year later he merged it with the Janata Party, and as part of the deal, became president of the Janata Party, then a year later the Janata Party aligned with other Janata factions to become the Jan Morcha, of which he became general secretary. All this before the era of coalitions and breakaways of the Nineties had even begun.

In these unpredictable times, it has not been an easy roll for the 67-year-old leader, who not only had to reinvent as a leader of farmers, but also had to take his party and flock along into the political galaxy.

There was a time when Ajit Singh was seen recklessly throwing away his legacy and fortune, a party nurtured by Charan Singh, say his father8217;s loyal flock, as they watched in horror and alarm the party8217;s dwindling fortunes and near wipeout in Rajasthan and Haryana.

But there8217;s no doubt Singh is a go-getter. He may have missed becoming chief minister of UP in 1993 by a shave he was betrayed by the Dal leadership who chose Mulayam Yadav instead, but he went on to become union minister thrice. First, as Industry Minister in VP Singh8217;s Cabinet, then as Food Minister in Narasimha Rao8217;s government he broke the Janata Dal to merge with the Congress then and, later, after moving out of the Congress, as Agriculture Minister under Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. In the meanwhile, he has juggled his fortune supporting the BJP and Yadav8217;s Samajwadi Party in UP too.

IT seemed the dust had finally settled down after Ajit Singh completely severed his kinship with the Janata parivar and formed the Rashtriya Lok Dal to become its president in 1999. But it was not to last too long. While he did exactly what the patriarchal Jats would have heartily approved of 8212; grooming his son as rightful successor, he threw a spoke in the scheme of things when he gave control of the party to his lieutenant, Anuradha Chowdhury.

Naturally, the last three years, ever since the RLD leapt back into power with its coalition with chief minister Yadav, have witnessed a hushed but fierce battle for supremacy that has split the party right down the middle. For the party rank and file, it is none other than the 28-year-old Jayant Singh, Ajit8217;s son, who is their future leader. But they have watched in vain as Anuradha has been indulged, pampered and humoured all the time 8212; she became an MP even if she was a minister in Yadav8217;s Cabinet, then she continued to enjoy Cabinet rank status in UP, as Commissioner, Flood Control, even though she had now entered Parliament through the Lok Sabha. Worse, loyalists claim, she has foiled every plan to send the young scion to hold public rallies in their pocket borough of western UP. Instead, they accuse her of packing off Jayant to obscure districts on the opposite side of the state.

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But there8217;s hope for Chaudhury Charan Singh8217;s supporters 8212; only last fortnight, as the LD leadership sent conflicting signals about withdrawal of support to Yadav8217;s government, it was a swift Jayant who sharply snubbed Anuradha when she declared the RLD would continue to support Mulayam Yadav. Jayant said only his father had the right to decide the party8217;s future.

So, where does it leave Ajit Singh? The former IITian from Kharagpur has always kept his cards close to his chest, never revealing his tactics, and keeping everyone guessing. Mr Opportunist or Mr Survivor, he won8217;t tell. But he will need all his computing skills to steer his party and to settle his family affairs.