Can we have some intra-party democracy, please?

[Dillinger]

Can we have some intra-party democracy, please?


Every few weeks, we read news reports that the BJP is going to “annoint” Narendra Modi as its PM candidate. Almost immediately, we see other news reports of people in the BJP who are unhappy with this move. The net result is that things are in a limbo for the BJP. There seems to be little doubt that if there was a popularity contest in the BJP today, Narendra Modi would be more than likely to win. The question is why doesn’t the party seize the moment to introduce a semblance of intra-party democracy? Let there be a vote among the BJP party members to elect the candidate for PM. Let Advani, or whoever else who wishes to be the PM candidate, oppose Modi’s candidature. Let the BJP show the country that it is a party committed to democratic norms and procedures. Let the BJP impress upon us that it is different from the Congress party in its operating procedures. Let the BJP stand out in its efforts to clean up Indian democracy by first setting right its own backyard. In response to this stalemate in the BJP, ironically, Modi fans indulge in chest beating and attacking his opponents in the BJP, instead of pushing the BJP towards instituting intra-party democracy.

The Congress party is historically a party that does not believe in intra-party democracy, though Rahul Gandhi travels around the country stressing the need for it. He talks openly about how he is in politics because of his family connections. After all this, what does he do? He turns around and accepts an appointment as Vice-President of the Congress party. He lets sycophants go to town crying themselves hoarse that he is the future PM. Everyone for Manmohan Singh on down to the last party worker is ready to sing his praise and offer him the crown. Why didn’t he opt for intra-party elections instead? Will anyone in the Congress party dare to contest against Mr. Gandhi?

And what does our media do? Instead of holding both parties’ feet to the fire for not adopting intra-party democracy, it goes completely “gaga” over a non-existent Modi vs Rahul battle - a heavy weight on one-hand whose popularity frightens the veterans in his party, and a light-weight who simply inherits the mantle in the family tradition. The net result is that we have two of India’s largest parties operationally no different from each other. While one is controlled by the Gandhi family, the other is run by the RSS. If this is the standard we set at the national level with no signs whatsoever of changes, then what hope do we have at the state level? The DMK has been run by Karunanidhi for decades. One of his sons is due to take over at some point in time. On the AIADMK side, Ms. Jayalalitha has run the show for decades after MGR’s death. Then there is Mulayam and son (and daughter-in-law) in UP, the Abdullahs in Kashmir, Mayawati of the BSP, and so on.

There is no harm in strong personalities dominating a party as long as there is a mechanism in place for free and fair intra-party elections and a platform for battle of competing ideas at the party level. This can form the basis for an informed debate at the national level. If you don’t do this at the party level, the party becomes simply incapable of having a coherent philosophy that drives its major policies and decision-making processes. If you don’t do this at the party level you end up with no worthwhile debate whatsoever in parliament, like we see these days.

None of our political parties today provide specific information about their proposed policies should they come to power. All they do is make outrageous promises, distribute laptops, TVs, and liquor to win votes. Barring Hindutva for the BJP and Gandhi family mania for the Congress, ideology is non-existent. That is why you see the BJP for FDI when it was in power and against it when it was not. That is why you see the Congress party rolling out social programmes in a hurry today to win votes at election time while trying to liberalize and attract foreign investment on the other.

A pertinent question is why indulge in an educated debate when the majority of voters don’t really listen or care to know about specific policy initiatives. Besides, those who listen, read and ask questions don’t even bother to vote. This situation can be rectified only when the educated middle class join the political process and vote in record numbers; and the media is tough on parties that don’t take steps to embrace intra-party democracy.

Can we have some intra-party democracy, please?:Outside Edgeran Kurup's blog-The Economic Times

The underlying reasons for the much touted and lamented policy paralysis, policy ambiguity (not just with regard to the economy) and lack of investor/corporate confidence (expressly with regard to the economy) in the nation in the broader context beyond elections and political maneuvering . The write up is succinct, doesn't unravel the minute details but it serves its purpose at least in the didactic sense- if anyone is interested that is.

 

[kurup]

A very nice and informative article .....

Almost summed up everything I had in mind about our political parties .