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| Mismanaging allies the Congress way | | | Kalyani Shankar | 12/9/2011 10:44:20 PM |
| The biggest reason for the Congress's woes today is its ineffectual management of its allies. It has learned nothing even after seven years of heading a coalition Government The Congress needs to set right its relations urgently with its allies if the rest of the UPA Government's term has to be completed smoothly. The problem appears to be that the allies are not on the same wavelength on many issues, with the result that the Government comes out in poor light after taking a decision. The latest flip-flop on fzoreign direct investment is a glaring example. The rollback, or hold-back, has sent a wrong message to foreign investors, who are already hesitant to invest in India on account of the scams and the UPA's governance deficit.
There is also an impression that the Government is unable to push second-generation reforms and that there is a policy paralysis. The Congress seems to be behaving as if it is engaged in a single-party rule, although the fact is that its very survival depends on allies. These partners, who want to flex their muscles, are unhappy at the way the Government takes decisions on controversial issues without building a consensus. This has resulted in the Congress getting a beating from the allies as well as the Opposition.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is emerging as the biggest challenge on several issues. In the past two and a half years, the Congress has been unable to have its way on matters like the land acquisition Bill and a strong anti-Maoist policy because of her opposition. The FDI is a glaring example, as the Government had to bow to the wishes of Trinamool Congress and put on hold its decision to invite foreign investment in multi-brand retail. Ms Banerjee is on a strong wicket and the Congress's survival depends on her 19 MPs.
Right now, she is riding high and the Trinamool is going from strength to strength in by-elections and municipal polls. The Chief Minister has made no secret of her displeasure at the way decisions have been taken by the Union Government, be it the petrol hike or the FDI in retail. The point is that she is following the Left agenda on many issues like price rise, FDI and other contentious issues so that the Left is politically countered. This may not be the end of her differences with the Congress's pro-reform agenda as she holds different views on the pension Bill, land acquisition Bill, banking reforms and the other proposals.
Another Congress ally, the DMK, too has been singing a different tune on many of the issues that the Congress wants to legislate. DMK chief M Karunanidhi was upset that his daughter Kanimozhi was kept in jail in connection with the 2G case, but now that she is out on bail, he may turn a little soft. In any case, his political stand is to counter the AIADMK, be it on the Koodankulam nuclear project or FDI or the Mullaperiyar dam.
Mr Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party has been more or less on the same wavelength, but it is unhappy that the Congress does not consult it on many issues before taking a decision. Moreover, despite so many years of partnership, the Congress and the NCP have not reconciled to each other at the ground level, especially in Maharashtra.
The small and the big allies of the Congress have been complaining all along that the party is behaving as if there is a single-party rule and that often it takes decisions and then informs its partners in the UPA. They also complain that even in the matter of appointments, such as those of Governors, they are not consulted.
First of all, the Congress has to do some damage control exercise on the issue of its relationship with allies. The Congress has to get reconciled to coalition politics as that kind of politics has come to stay. Indeed, before the 2014 election, it not only has to maintain its present allies but may also have to look for new partners.
Second, the Congress should appear to do some more power-sharing with the allies, be it in appointments and other decisions to assuage their feelings.
Third, it should consult the allies before taking decisions. In UPA1, the coordination committee with the Left Front played a crucial role in policy decisions, with the Left playing an important role in shaping the Government's economic policy. In UPA 2, there is no such coordination committee as it was felt that the allies have a representation in the Cabinet and that any differences would be sorted out at the Cabinet level.
Fourth, consensus should be built within the UPA before taking decisions on contentious issues. Otherwise, the Congress would have egg on its face, as it did on the FDI issue.
Finally, the public perception is that the Congress and allies are not on the same page and that the Government's stability is in doubt. This perception has to be changed to one which will assure the public that there is unanimity |
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