Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's image has taken a beating after the manner in which key United Progressive Alliance members, who hold important positions in his council of ministers, are being targeted by Opposition parties for either their involvement in alleged scams or their various sins of omission and commission.
The Congress party, however, believes that its image is intact as party president Sonia Gandhi has been quick to get rid of leaders who have even a tinge of corruption charges against them and who have been attacked in the public domain.
With the attacks on the Congress allies increasing, whether it be Sharad Pawar in the IPL goings on or A Raja, the Union telecom minister who is alleged to be the beneficiary in the allocation of 2G spectrum, the government has had to put up a brave face in addition to mobilising its artillery to defend its ministers.
Particularly since the Manmohan Singh government is at present resting on only 271 MPs, and any attempts at bravery or image polishing could cost the government dear in terms of sheer survival.
With attacks on Raja increasing and the other Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam minister Azagiri virtually invisible in Parliament, DMK chief M Karunanidhi has made one of his infrequent visits to Delhi to inform the leadership that there is no question of Raja being changed or removed.
They give the example of K Natwar Singh, a trusted and loyal minister known to be close to 10, Janpath, who was shown the door after his name appeared in the Iraq oil scandal and the most latest was the case of Shashi Tharoor, who again was shown the exit sign after it was alleged that his 'friend' was being paid sweat equity for the Kochi IPL team and that he had misused his position.
In both cases, it is being alleged that the amounts being mentioned were negligible by international corruption standards and in comparison to the activities of Pawar or Raja or even TR Balu, another DMK Minister.
But the Congress leadership had acted tough, clearly sending the signal that the Congress and its leader had different moral standards.
Congress leaders alleged that this will help the party in the long run and would work in maintaining the credibility of the Congress amongst its leaders. Sources say that the attempt is to continuously send the signal that the party believes in probity in public life and that it needs a clear mandate if it has to run a government over which it has absolute control.
Coupled with this is also the problem of another key ally, Mamata Banerjee who is more often than not absent from her work in the crucial Railway Ministry and whose ministers are being accused of running their own agendas on a number of issues. But the government has had to come in defence of Mamata and her men, as she carries 20 crucial MPs with her. Her decision not to have an alliance with the party in the municipal elections is also being brushed aside by the party with the spokesman saying that all will be well by the time the assembly elections come in the state.
With a week still to go before the Budget session of Parliament ends, the two Houses are being rocked and adjourned repeatedly making it difficult for the government to transact any business except to pass bills in the din and the noise.
As one senior minister put it, "On every issue we would have to draw a new fire fighting plan". In the process, smaller parties or those who come in support of the government, like the Bahujan Samaj Party, would be beneficiaries, he added.
Their (BSP) demand that international airport be set up in Greater Noida for which a Group of Ministers has been set up and the second is the clearing of a public issue for the over Rs 50,000 crore expressway, a hugely lucrative project of the Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati!
