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The price of power

If the path to heaven is paved with good intentions, then the Bharatiya Janata Party government should have no difficulty in booking an executive class ticket to the world beyond. But when it comes to winning elections and/or retaining power, which is the sine qua non of any political party, a little more than good intentions are in order.

Going by the slew of positive statements emanating from the Vajpayee government ever since it assumed office, predating the mother of them all, namely the going nuclear one, this administration should easily qualify for the title 'government of announcements'. Path-breaking announcements have been made, some of which have seen the light of the day while most are still being talked about in the long quest for consensus. And the cumulative effect of all what has been promised so far, if implemented, should drastically change the country's moonscape.

But it is a thought that what has been sought to be implemented, do not bring relief to a population reeling under myriad problems, most of which, to be fair to the BJP government, are part of its political legacy. Taking the announcements collectively as a statement of intention on the part of the BJP government, it is evident that the common man -- call him the ordinary voter for easier identification -- has come last on the administration's list of priorities.

Make no mistake, announcements have been galore, even leaving aside the explosive one of May 11. Amendment of the Companies Act, a new money laundering bill and a new Rent Act, a new IT policy, easier liberalisation norms, a new Prasar Bharti Bill, creation of new states... in the brief time it has spent in South Block, the prime minister has been busy, very busy. And yes, one can say that insofar as these decisions go, since they do alter the existing scheme of things, in some cases to a significant extent, the benefits that accrue should make for a better life.

Perhaps so, but the putative benefits that we are talking about have quite simply been offset by the thrashing the common man has received. Among the plethora of announcements that this government has come out with, the first, if not the only one, to address bread and butter issues, was made by the prime minister as late as Saturday, October 31, when he came out with major steps to combat price-rise. That it took the government months to move, to alleviate suffering, to tackle the cantering inflation, despite it being common knowledge that prices have gone through the roof, leads to the conclusion that the common man really does not figure in the BJP's scheme of things.

This is not going to endear me any to readers, but I daresay that even now, the government has been compelled to act only because of the impending assembly election.

The weather gods have been none too kind to the BJP, but that is only part of the problem. For months, when the countryside and the cities had been reeling under a shortage of onions, this government did precious little. Shortages are not beyond solution, but it took this government, which has demonstrated a quick finger on the trigger when it comes to the corporate sector, the business sector, months to first admit, and then to do something about the problem.

It is quite like the hostage situation. A government that has got so accustomed to being blackmailed on any and every issue by irascible allies, demonstrated little spine in dealing with a problem that cuts across states, opposition ruled or otherwise. And emboldened by its lack of will, the spectre of shortages and steep prices now covers almost the entire marketplace. And when there is a run on something so ordinary as salt, which apart from its indispensability has historical connotations across the country, then you know the government is so vulnerable that a mere rumour can blow it away.

Increasingly, as the BJP resorts to blaming the Opposition for all its problems, from price rise to rumour-mongering, it presents a picture of a carper, a cribber, not a doer. Even assuming that the Opposition is behind all its woes, what does the BJP expect from its political foes? Such naivete is amazing from a party that had perfected the art of political perfidy when it was on the other side of the treasury benches...

Two of the four states going to the polls this month are ruled by the BJP. One of them, Delhi, has been so plagued with problems, that a mere change of chief ministers on election-eve is not going to alter the results. It is a double whammy for the BJP in these states, since the normal expedient of blaming the Centre for the state's woes is not going to work here, a constraint that does not apply to Digvijay Singh in Madhya Pradesh.

Price control may be a state subject, but when the nation is reeling under shortages and shooting prices, the onus is clearly on the Centre to do something beyond blaming the opposition. Something proactive like punishing those responsible for hoarding would have shown the people that this is a government that cares for them. Right now, the only picture of the government that comes across is one of inaction at best and pro-trader at worst.

The assembly election outcome should teach the BJP government a few lessons, which it did not have the chance to learn in the first place thanks to its long spell in the opposition. It is hard to foresee a political realignment within the 12th Lok Sabha as a consequence, since the sharp political polarisation within its swalls is both a boon and a bane. But it will definitely be a warning that the BJP can ignore only if it wants to lose the war too.

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Saisuresh Sivaswamy