Has Prime Minister Manmohan Singh become a liability for the Congress? This question is being raised albeit in hushed tone in the top circle of the Congress Party. The latest salvo fired by the Samajvadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav directly questions the continuance of Manmohan Singh in office. In an interview to a leading economic daily, Mulyam dubs Manmohan as the weakest Prime Minister who can’t take decisions.
Mulayam says Manmohan is a good man but to run a country you need a man who can take decisions. If the Prime Minister of the country is not free to take decisions the country becomes weak. Similar concern was shown by the NCP leader Sharad Pawar but in moderate voice.
Is Mukayam’s statement against Prime Minister is a proxy attack? Is Mulayam speaking the mind of 10, Janpath? These questions need elaborations. In the same interview Mulayam has praised Sonia Gandhi. Politically, he likes to keep the door open to the Congress for any post general elections maneuvering to be part of the next government or still better for him to become next Prime Minister in a compromise formula in case of a fractured verdict.
The first sign of major discord between Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh surfaced on the issue of sacking of two Ministers, Ashwani Kumar and Pawan Bansal both being considered close to Prime Minister. Manmohan Singh was against sacking Ashwani Kumar. Sonia Gandhi had to drive down to 7, Race Course Road to tell Prime Minister that the two Ministers had to go.
Going to the polls with heavy anti-incumbency factor, the Congress is in a host of dilemma whether to let Manmohan continue as Prime Minister. He would have been replaced much earlier but the ruling party does not have any ‘suitable man’ to take the reins of power on the eve of elections. Rahul Gandhi is reluctant to lead the Government and the Party at this juncture. The most touted name is that of P Chidamabaram. But the Congress’ main battle is in the north and central India. A man who can’t communicate properly with the masses can’t be projected as a leader during the polls.
The situation is more or less the same when the name of A K Antony crops up as Congress’s choice for Prime Minister. It must be said to the credit of Antony that he is perhaps the only living Congress leader who believes and practice Gandhism. He is a true Gandhian and honest to a penny.
The Congress faces a situation where it is likely to lose its support base heavily in the next elections with Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister. Thus, directly benefiting the BJP that is geared to return to power in 2014. It is increasingly becoming difficult for the Congress to defend the Government’s ‘inaction’ on graft charges, the government’s flawed foreign policy and the bad economy of the country.
The government publicity blitz of its achievements reminds one of “India Shining” slogan of the NDA government in 2004 that boomeranged. Introduction of Metro rail services in cities and making flyovers in mega cities have not altered the plight of the common man. What hits the common man most is the rising prices of essential commodities and rampant corruption in government headed by Monmohan Singh.
Manmohan Singh will go down the history as the thirst longest serving Prime Minister after Nehru and Indira but he will also be known as a worse performer than H D Deve Gowda, Inder Kumar Gujral and Chandra Shekhar.
~ R.K.Sinha
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