The whole affair of locating allies, as far as the Congress is concerned, has become a mystery wrapped in an enigma. The party is badly in need of a rejuvenating spirit, not silence.
The basic Congress thinking about its election strategy, for want of any indication on the issue of pre-poll arrangements with regional parties, appears to be causing not a little confusion — even concern — at higher tiers of the party leadership.
The absence of communication within the party on this has come to be underscored by its inability, or possibly reluctance, to clinch potential deals in states that are crying out for it.
Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh spring to mind in this context. Party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who was entrusted the charge of running the Congress’ campaign for the Lok Sabha polls which will be formally called in a matter of days by the Election Commission, has managed to leave the impression that he is playing his cards close to his chest.
A commander is not exactly required to reveal his hand to all and sundry. However, as the case of Bihar shows, the events of the past few days point to an anti-climax of sorts. The Congress’ understanding with Lalu Prasad Yadav’s RJD and Ram Vilas Paswan’s LJP was widely assumed to be a done deal. But that impression now seems mistaken, a point made clear by Mr Yadav issuing the Congress a 24-hour ultimatum on Saturday to make up its mind (which was apparently rescinded on Sunday, but it’s hard to be sure in the treacherous quicksand of India’s regional politics) about allying with it for the Parliament poll, and by Mr Paswan ambling across to the BJP camp with practised ease.
And, to compound matters, sotto voce hints are now emerging that the Congress is actually working on a deal with Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s JD(U). In Tamil Nadu, there appears to be vacillation on the part of the Congress leadership on the basic question of seeking out any allies, although much was made out not long ago of finding common ground with the DMK since Jayalalithaa’s AIADMK has long been regarded a writeoff. In respect of UP and some other states, talk of doing business with BSP supremo Mayawati had been calculatedly muted but now appears to have been suppressed altogether. Even on Telangana, there appears no certainty of any kind despite the paeans of praise that TRS leader K. Chandrasekhar Rao has sung of the Congress.
The whole affair of locating allies, as far as the Congress is concerned, has become a mystery wrapped in an enigma. This can hardly bode well for the party whose capacity to draw votes in states as diverse as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have been in some doubt for a period of time. The party is badly in need of a rejuvenating spirit, not silence.
Congress looking confused on allies | The Asian Age
