Dynastic strain in our politics

By Arun Nehru

(September 14, New Delhi, Sri Lanka Guardian) The battle for Andhra Pradesh is in full swing after the tragic demise of YS Rajasekhara Reddy and we shouldn’t be surprised by the events as they unfold in the State. The media will have a field day in listing the assets of Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy. But all this has been known for the past few years, though no one in particular had highlighted them during the tenure of YS Rajasekhara Reddy, his Chief Minister father.

I sometimes wonder why we become moral hypocrites when we know that dynastic strains exist in most parties. Has anyone examined the assets and business interests of leaders of the DMK, the AIADMK, the TDP, the SP, the BSP, the RJD, etc? In a system where there is no transparency in political donations, should we be applying the ‘moral yardstick’ on a selective basis to individual leaders? There are exceptions to the rule but these are shrinking by the day and sadly every party, be it the Congress or the BJP or regional parties, will suffer as political power is no longer fuelled by public support alone but also by financial power and business interests. This is the ground reality in many States and the Congress ‘high command’ has to adjust to the situation.

The situation in Andhra Pradesh is very complex and sensible political decisions cannot ignore the possibility of regional formations once again dominating the political space in the State. We mourn the untimely demise of YS Rajasekhara Reddy, who undoubtedly was a remarkable political leader and did his party proud in Andhra Pradesh in the last Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections.

The helicopter accident involving YS Rajasekhara Reddy that also led to the loss of four other lives has brought back the focus on VIP air safety procedures. I sincerely hope that it results in a change for the better. In our system it is not unusual for politicians to bend the rules on account of their public office. Sadly, this has resulted in several fatalities over the years.

Meanwhile, the political battle will resume in Maharashtra where the Congress and the NCP are yet to iron out seat allocation issues. The NCP, after a weak performance in the Lok Sabha election, is on the defensive. This, along with the 206 seats secured by the Congress in the general election, has reduced the Congress’s dependence on the NCP as an ally. All this is bound to be reflected in seat-sharing between the two parties for the Maharashtra Assembly poll.

Political accidents can take place as each party will take extreme positions to secure the most benefits. But Mr Sharad Pawar is well aware of his limitations, and the Congress’s strength in the State will without a doubt increase. The Congress-NCP alliance will buck the anti-incumbency vote and win by a reasonable margin over the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance.

There is no contest in Arunachal Pradesh while in Haryana the Congress will prevail over the INLD and the proposed BJP-Bhajan Lal combination. Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda is poised to win and I don’t see the three Opposition combinations making a dent in the Congress’s tally. The 18 by-elections in Bihar will also attract a great deal of attention as both the RJD and the Congress will try to blunt the JD(U)-BJP combine that won 32 out of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in the State.

The Congress may win all the three State Assembly elections but the issue of price rise can spring a surprise or two for the party. Besides, there has been a great deal of media attention on Minister for External Affairs SM Krishna and his deputy Shashi Tharoor’s three-month stay at five-star hotels since their official accommodations are undergoing renovation. This was a political blunder and I am surprised that the Government and the Congress needed a media report to initiate action. Without deflecting attention from the austerity drive and the attempts of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to deal with a difficult economic situation caused by this year’s drought and a paucity of funds for poverty alleviation schemes, there is a need for the party to be more vigilant on politically sensitive issues.

Times have changed and habits will take some time to adjust to a more austere situation. The media will no doubt focus on the foreign visits of our legislators, functions at five-star hotels and the use of helicopters and special aircraft. Political parties accused of such extravaggance should immediately express regret as criticism by the media should never be taken lightly.

Ministers and MPs concerned should bring this controversy to an end and if they are paying for the expenses personally then they should pay the market price and not avail of any ‘special discounts’ given by hotels. This will also set the right tone for the future.

I too have lived in Type VIII houses. But I cannot recall a single change that was made to Government accommodations back then. It is a sad reflection of the times that most of such houses have undergone alterations and additions in the past decade which are not legal while people face fines, demolitions and prosecution in similar situations.

Ministers a decade ago rarely used to stay at five-star hotels during domestic visits, and barring a few senior Ministers in the CCPA/CCEA, most of them stayed at Raj Bhavans and State Government guesthouses. Only a few used special aircraft for domestic travel. Our Prime Minister has set an excellent example in terms of integrity and austerity as have many other senior Ministers in the Government. However, a system has to be put in place to check indiscretions and to take timely corrective action.

-Sri Lanka Guardian