It is not the first time in the recent past that the nation finds itself on the brink. The fragile coalition cobbled up in the aftermath of the 1996 polls always had an inbuilt potential for collapse as it was just a gang-up of parties to prevent BJP from ruling the country, but bereft of any positive agenda of their own. The common minimum programme, which was paraded as a statement of unity had little relevance in the context of the varying political and personal interests of the UF’s constituents.
It has been a very uncomfortable existence, not only for the UF but also for the nation, which is reflected in the inescapable sense of gloom that has gripped it. The economy, of course, has been in limbo ever since Gujral took over as the change of guard owing to Congress insistence rattled the faith of even diehard protagonists of coalitions and positive aspects of a progressive budget were frittered away.
In a way the countdown for Gujral’s exit began the day he assumed office. Though the Prime Minister took all care to keep the ‘old man in a hurry’ in good humour, the Damocles’ sword over his government was bound to fall any time for the simple reason that the Congressmen can never reconcile to being out of power and the continuing prospect of someone else enjoying office at their charity was never to their liking. If Gujral’s camaraderie with Kesri irritated the Front partners, it angered the Kesri detractors no less. The hawks in the Congress were biding their time and the Jain panel revelations have come in handy. It has not only held out another opportunity to rattle the UF but also given the Congress an emotional election issue. It has presented the party which is bankrupt in every way other than funds, an opportunity to rally around the Nehru family, by trying to exploit Sonia’s widowhood and Rajiv’s martyrdom which the Congressmen are unlikely to let go by. It is a different matter that the party did little to bring out the truth behind Rajiv’s assassination when it was in power for five full years, when the same hawks who cry wolf now opted to play doves.
The Jain panel was a time-bomb ticking away, but slowly for a long time for the DMK’s affinity to the LTTE was no secret. In fact, it was the election issue in 1991 when the DMK bit the dust owing mainly to its LTTE connections. It is even rumoured that Sonia intervened at the last minute to avert a Congress-DMK alliance in 1996. Even when the Congress first pledged support to the UF it knew of the DMK’s complicity with LTTE which cleared the ground for Rajiv’s assassination and could have objected to the DMK’s presence in the coalition. That they did not do so all these days goes contrary to their avowed commitment to Rajiv’s legacy. Rather their silence was more dictated by a fear of facing the electorate with defeat at the hands of the BJP a dreaded possibility.
The present deadlock is in a way inevitable. There is really no way the Congress can continue its support to the UF with the DMK in it, except at its own peril. The contradiction had actually gone unchecked too long. The party can ill afford to ignore the findings of the Jain Commission. If at all, more skeletons are bound to tumble down from the Congress cup-board too when the Rajiv assassination case reaches its climax.
The specter of a mid-term election is quite disconcerting and the already bleeding nation is in for a prolonged painful period of turmoil. Unless, of course the polls throw up a surprise by giving a stable single party mandate, to whoever it may be. Curse our optimism.
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