UNDOUBTEDLY, THE Congress Party has emerged as the largest single party with 206 seats for the 15th Lok Sabha. But this number is still far behind the magic number, 272. Besides, the UPA has 263 seats but it is also away from 272 seats.
Presently, every so-called secular party has offered to support the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) without any condition. Among such parties, the BSP, Samajwadi party and RJD are significant. Interestingly, these parties want to support the UPA unconditionally on account of their benefits. Lalu Prasad fears the CBI. Mulayam Singh Yadav pressurises Mayawati. Similarly, Mayawati also fears the CBI. But the Congress is not in a mood to take support from these parties. (According to reports, Dr Manmohan Singh has asked Mayawati to support the party and she has agreed to his request).
Being a largest party of the UPA, the Congress is showing its supremacy. It considers itself as the soul of UPA, whereas in reality the truth is different. It should not forget the reality. Ultimately, its spectacular win is just a reflection of its social activism, which comes out in the form of the NREGA, pension scheme and protection of nationalised banks from disinvestment, etc.
As we know, due to pressure of Left parties, the Congress was compelled to take initiatives to start these schemes. Otherwise the economic policy of the party was against the welfare of poor people. We have still not forgotten the repercussions of economic reforms of 1991. If Indian banks are being disinvested, perhaps India does not have to face the current slowdown.
So, the Congress should remember that there is still time for a coalition government. It should follow the path of the common minimum programme. Whatever seats it has today is on account of the Left parties. In other words, now the Congress party has taken the place of Left parties and it should also pursue for the welfare of the common man.
Hence, we can say that when Dr Singh assumes the office of Prime Minister for the second consecutive term this week, India will have its tenth successive coalition government in 20 years.
The seed of coalition governance was sworn for the first time in 1989, in a country where until then a single party rule of the Congress dominated the political landscape at the Centre since Independence except during the Janata experiment between 1977 and 1979.
In the 1989 elections, although incumbent Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Congress won more seats than any other single party, in spite of that he was unable to form a government with a clear majority.
The BJP emerged from the May 1996, national elections as the single largest party in the Lok Sabha but without enough strength to prove a majority on the floor of that Parliament. Under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the BJP coalition lasted for only 13 days.
With all political parties wishing to avoid another round of elections, a 14-party coalition led by the Janata Dal emerged to form a government known as the United Front, under the former Chief Minister of Karnataka HD Deve Gowda. His government lasted less than a year, as the leader of the Congress Party withdrew his support in March 1997.
In April 1999, the BJP-led coalition government fell apart after AIADMK withdrew support leading to fresh elections in September. The National Democratic Alliance a new coalition led by the BJP gained a majority to form the government with Vajpayee as Prime Minister in October 1999, for the third time.
In May 2004, the NDA lost power ushering in a Congress led coalition United Progressive Alliance (UPA) after a gap of eight years with Manmohan Singh emerging as the surprise choice of the Congress to take the reins of Prime Minister.
The UPA romped home winners again in the just concluded elections and it will be a coalition government yet again though the Congress put up a good showing winning 206 seats. But it still not clear majority. Even UPA is not in majority. Despite the congress party has overconfidence.
No doubt regional parties often fight for local issues and sometimes in this fray national priorities have been forgotten. In spite of that we cannot blame regional parties for all setbacks. It is high time every party come out from petty issues and thinks for national interest.
