| There are no guarantees in politics. Two months ago Prime
Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's face was wreathed in smiles, as he triumphantly drove into
Pakistan for a historic summit. Now, his face an impassive mask, he is no longer even
prime minister. When the bus crossed the border, we delayed our issue ("Breaking
Barriers", March 1, 1999) to bring you the story as it unfolded; once again (for the
third time in six months) we have delayed publication to bring you the complete story of
the felling of the government. Even as the
voting in Parliament ended, many uncertain questions faced this nation. Top among them was
whether a government would be formed at all, for if not India would be heading for another
election. Furthermore, if a government was formed, who would lead it?
One answer was Sonia Gandhi. Rarely
has a woman travelled so far and so fast in politics. She was a novice 15 months ago;
today she is the prime minister-in-waiting. Now she is faced with a situation that would
have baffled even her mother-in-law, a consummate politician. She must learn quickly to
wheel and deal, forge alliances and somehow manage to balance the demands of 20 disparate
political parties with their varying agendas. It promises to be a herculean task, and one
thing is certain: no longer can Sonia retain her very private profile.
Behind all the chaos though a disquieting thought lingers.
The economy is precariously perched and there remains a logjam of pending legislation and
yet India is about to have its fourth government in three years. And worse, an election
beckons. In most nations an election is seen as a strengthening of the democratic process.
Alas, in India it seems quite the opposite.
(Aroon Purie) |
