Where parties are at

The upcoming session of Parliament will be a politically defining moment for many reasons. This session will be a good measure of the direction in which the UPA government is heading. In the previous parliamentary session, the UPA had managed to cobble together workable compromises between its various constituents to pass crucial pieces of legislation, for instance on intellectual property rights. But since then the Left has grown more assertive. This session will be a test of how much strain the alliance is under, especially in light of impending elections in Bihar and Kerala. How much will the Left be able to stall the government’s reform agenda, especially on vital matters like pension regulation?

This is also a vital session for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. He has clearly asserted his authority over foreign policy, but he will now have to battle his most vociferous critics from both the Right and the Left. He will also have to demonstrate that he is equally in charge of domestic policy. A strong performance in Parliament will shore up his authority considerably. If he can show some serious legislative accomplishment and use the platform of Parliament to fully explain and defend his policy choices, the government will emerge stronger.

The importance of this session for the BJP cannot be overestimated. They have marginalised themselves in Parliament by boycotting it. This is their chance to redeem some measure of credibility as an effective opposition. The session will be crucial for L.K. Advani. His authority has been seriously dented. If he can demonstrate once again his capacity for leadership, it will certainly strengthen his hand. He may not prevail against the RSS, but he will at least ensure that he fought with dignity and stature. The BJP also needs to remind voters that the party is still something more than a fractious squabbling club. As in the past, chances are that none of the political parties will take their responsibilities seriously. But one way or another, this session will reveal who they are and what they stand for.