Waiting for Godot

In that traditional spot at New Delhi's Boat Club hallowed by countless meetings and dharnas there stands these days a sagging tent which offers refuge to a tantric sadhu family. Saffron-robed tantric Swamy Ramachandra Bharati is accompanied by his mother Jyotish Bharati and his friend Yogiraj Siddhi.All three are participating in a public protest against Prime Minister Indira Gandhi for breach of contract. The tantric protesters claim that from 1977 till 1980 they performed black magic rites which brought Mrs Gandhi back to power. This was done allegedly on Mrs Gandhi's request. Now the prime minister ignores them and does not even make good the Rs 2 lakh they spent for her sake. If Mrs Gandhi doesn't cough up the largesse pretty soon they will knock her off her perch, the sadhu mutters, rolling his eyes ominously. They carry with them many letters which they claim will prove their point.This is of a piece with Mrs Gandhi herself, making a frantic never-ending round of temples, astrologers and godmen under camouflage of hurriedly arranged official visits for poorly adduced reasons. It might never be known for instance whether her latest dash to Chandigarh was to hasten procurement of grain - an odd chore for a prime minister surely - or to hold a secret session with a tantric tucked away in somebody's home where she made a mysterious halt.Even having made allowance for that irrationality, it remains a matter of regret that the prime minister by her conduct has done so much to substantiate in the popular mind all those dark forebodings by astrologers which predict 'a dangerous period', perhaps her imminent downfall. Little wonder that national politics vacated the legislatures and party forums long ago. Now it has moved out even from the palace to enter Merlin's inner chamber.Vacuum: Little wonder that Y.B. Chavan chose a Saturday - oh lovely, fortuitous, auspicious Saturday! - to make the historic announcement of his "homecoming". Little wonder that the majority among the Opposition is waiting for God to do His thing.Never has politics in India appeared so sick. What good are reasoning and analysis when the real springs of political impulse among the leaders arise from the foggy depths of some dark subterranean occultist mishmash? This is the real political setting in India on which projections ought to be based today. To speculate on what would fill the vacuum after Mrs Gandhi is futile.Too many opposition leaders are banking on a future wave to create an instant structure as happened in the past instead of creating the political structure which can catch the wave when it comes. There is a screaming yawning vacuum which exists right now, waiting to be filled. If Mrs Gandhi goes, most assuredly there will be another prime minister. And that is all that the country has today - a prime minister. Then why worry? Or to put it differently why wait for Mrs Gandhi to go? Why not start worrying right now?The leaders of the Opposition have failure writ large on their faces as they go through the motions with transparent lack of conviction. The enormity of the challenge to create a genuine national alternative wilts the stoutest opposition heart. The last two general elections were fought on popular waves triggered by dramatic political events. There is a lingering hope in every opposition breast that the pattern might repeat itself.But clearly there are two components required for any future national alternative. There has to be the countrywide organisational structure apart from the emotive content of a political demand which might trigger off a political wave. Unfortunately too many opposition leaders are banking on a future wave to create an instant structure as happened in the past instead of creating the political structure which can catch the wave when it comes.Given the time-frame and the leadership available, the structure can only be created through the reunity of the Janata splinters. And this would have to be done if at all by cold-blooded conscious effort. By any dispassionate appraisal it should be obvious that for reunity of the Janata there are three key figures who can play a role. They are Charan Singh, Atal Behari Vajpayee and Chandra Shekhar. If Vajpayee and Chandra Shekhar were to unite, as the younger men with a greater stake in 1985, the momentum towards reunity would be too strong among the party workers for even Charan Singh to resist.Practical Course: But even these two cannot unite. There are two posts (of party president and parliamentary party leader), and two leaders. Each must be the supremo. So they wait and stalk each other. All arguments against immediate reunity put up by their followers ring hollow.There is of course a fitful dialogue which continues through second rank leaders of both the parties. It leads to nothing. Nobody gets to the guts of the problem. Which leader is to get what post? Sometimes there are even stupid evasions resorted to. Like the plea that it is for the partymen to decide who will be the prime minister-designate. Or that how can any commitment be made right now?In truth, Vajpayee has developed an appetite because of a sympathetic press and a string of successful meetings and conventions. And Chandra Shekhar has an eye cocked at the Congress. After Mrs Gandhi, won't all Congressmen gravitate towards him as a compromise choice? Charan Singh is placed best to reunify the Janata if only he were to play the kingmaker instead of the king. But Charan Singh seems to have his heart set on being an old leader instead of an eider statesman.The results of the coming by-elections might knock some sense into the heads of the opposition leaders. But it is a dim hope. The general touring and speech making by them is for the present a sufficiently heady intoxicant. The hangover will come later when they learn that this is no substitute for a genuine mass-based programme of which there is not the slightest evidence.One silver lining for the Opposition is Chavan's entry into the Congress(I). If the rest of the Congress(U) were to follow Chavan's lead it would pave the way for a sensible polarisation. The Janata factions too might then draw the appropriate lessons. On any realistic basis therefore, reunity would seem to be the only practical course open to the Janata. The quicker they achieve it the better would it be for them.There is of course always the wild possibility of the emergence of a man on horseback who might lead the people. Even if there were such leaders, where is the horse? Specially for new untried leaders. A horse costs money, which current politics seems to be all about.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Feb 24, 2014 15:43 IST--- ENDS ---

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Waiting for Godot

Too many opposition leaders are banking on a future wave to create an instant structure as happened in the past instead of creating the political structure which can catch the wave when it comes.

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