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Gowda's games - The party becomes a tool for revenge - The Indian Express
Editorial
()
5 August 1997
Title: Gowda's games - The party becomes a tool for revenge
Author: Editorial
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: August 5, 1997
Few people are graceful when they quit positions of power. Former Prime
Minister H.D. Deve Gowda is no exception. Though several months have passed
since his government was voted out of power, he is yet to reconcile himself
to the loss of power. He seems to be hoping against hope that through a
quirk of fate he will once again be catapulted into power. Gowda
conveniently forgets that he became the United Front's nominee for the post
of Prime Minister only after the constituents failed to arrive at a
consensus on several other names. Of course, as a politician he is within
his rights to try to bounce back to the centrestage of politics. But that
does not mean that he should employ questionable means to make life
miserable for his successor to the point of undermining the very stability
of his government. Gowda's problems stem from his persistent belief that it
was at the instance of former Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav that
Congress chief Sitaram Kesri withdrew his party's support to his
government. Thus his overweening ambition has been to teach the duo a
lesson. Small wonder that Gowda has suddenly turned a crusader against
corruption as exemplified by Laloo Yadav. It does not occur to him that if
Gowda in his capacity as Prime Minister had asked Yadav to quit when the
CBI took cognisance of his alleged involvement in the fodder seam, it would
have served some purpose. Instead, he gave the Laloo regime a shot of
legitimacy when he attended the much-touted garib railla at Patna, the
objective of which was to demonstrate Yadav's organisational clout.
That the humble farmer that Gowda claims to be is not so humble when it
comes to dealing with his detractors is underscored by the extent to which
he went to settle scores with Ramakrishna Hegde. It was the same
single-minded approach that was noticeable in the developments that led to
the split in the Janata Dal. He took advantage of his position as chairman
of the United Front to drive Laloo Yadav to the wall. His task was made
easier when Sharad Yadav became a willing tool in his hands.
Gowda's political strategy cannot succeed unless the authority of the Prime
Minister is weakened at least in the people's perception. This task too
has been made easier by his friends like Sharad Yadav who are willing even
to heckle the Prime Minister while addressing Parliament. It was the same
technique that was employed when some partymen interrupted Gujral's speech
at the Janata Dal national convention, forcing the Prime Minister to walk
out of the session. Such an instance has few parallels even in the recent
political history of the country. It is significant that Gowda thought it
politically convenient to remain a mute spectator to the well-orchestrated
drama. Gowda's call to root out corruption and dismiss the Rabri Devi
Government would have carried conviction if he had used the same yardstick
for his party chief who, unlike others, has admitted that he has taken
tainted money. He should have realised that, with Sharad Yadav's refusal
to quit the party post, Gowda's campaign against corruption has lost much
of its sheen. But then to play the role of a spoilsport is Gowda's
obsession even if it endangers the United Front's survival.
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