Light at the End of the Tunnel — Is It Missing?

…it really doesn’t matter that Rahul might have showered praises on Kumar and Naidu only after having some substantial ground to expect support from them to form the next government. What matters is that his statement probably reflects the psyche of our all young politicians in general…

Saurabh Dharmeshwari

After nearly two decades of coalition politics, we are for the first time into an election which witnesses translation of election uncertainty into a crystal-clear, relentless play of managing a grasp at a safe political moorings midway the polls. Shifting allegiance, embracing past political enemies is a theory well received, firmly established now; except that in earlier elections we saw it happen post poll. Yes, I’m referring to Rahul Gandhi’s recent remarks intented at wooing Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu.

Well, people might have hurried to declare that Rahul chose to sing lyrical about Kumar and Naidu only because he realizes that his party and its allies in the two states are not going to fare well. However, nobody is willing to discuss whether Rahul, who at that moment of media interaction was not just AICC general secretary but represented  young Indian politicians as well, unintentionally implied more than what has been understood and interpreted.

we should discuss the topic beyond the confines of present elections and prevalent political scenario, the reason being that each parliamentary election since 1991 has strengthened the coalition culture and weakened the cultural fight of political ideologies

I think we should discuss the topic beyond the confines of present elections and prevalent political scenario, the reason being that each parliamentary election since 1991 has strengthened the coalition culture and weakened the cultural fight of political ideologies to the extent that even the up-and-coming politicos have joined the league of their aged political masters in showing opportunism and selfishness, virtually leaving India with a little hope of returning to the era of healthy politics.

It really doesn’t matter that Rahul might have showered praises on Kumar and Naidu only after having some substantial ground to expect support from them to form the next government. What matters is that his statement probably reflects the psyche of our all young politicians in general.

When he was trying to reach out to JDU and TDP, he was actually informing the nation that the youth brigade too is more bothered about mastering the tricks of acquiring power and retaining it somehow. No wonder, we currently have no youth leader in any political party that can be termed as the true face of India, mirroring expectations of an average countryman from polity.  

Okay, political parties are to be blamed for it because they have practically not left any room for healthy politics to flourish and young politicians to grow on their political ideology. But, I reject it outrightly as a reason of becoming opportunist and selfish like third generation netas, even post poll in the event of a hung parliament for so called pretext of saving the country an exorbitant successive election.

In fact, the growth of regional political forces and each party’s failure to win seats beyond a particular area is partly the outcome of voters not posing their trust in principle less leaders. I mean when the choice is between the two corrupt, crooked, ideologyless representatives, people end up choosing one who either represent their region, community, or caste.

The advent and uprising of coalition culture, which forces dramatic political alignment and realignment, itself is the dismissal of political opportunism and selfishness by electorates in the first place. In fact, the growth of regional political forces and each party’s failure to win seats beyond a particular area is partly the outcome of voters not posing their trust in principle less leaders. I mean when the choice is between the two corrupt, crooked, ideologyless representatives, people end up choosing one who either represent their region, community, or caste.

I agree the rise of regional political forces is more a reflection of higher local ambitions and negligence of the region by netas belonging to national parties. But this, too, has political oppornunism and selfishness at its centre, in its infant form though. 

It is sad that our politicians have never taken this point seriously and are busy handling their, their party’s rejection by people with restless attempts to acquire support of others. I dare say – I’m not a soothsayer, though – that with this political scene staying, there might come a day when people will just not care to go for casting their vote even if government announces a bonus kind of thing for them to encourage voting turnout. Electorates want themselves to be understood, not misunderstood and mismanaged and misgoverned. They want good politicians to lead them, you provide them such crew and they’ll go running to polling booths.

With senior leaders thinking of prime ministership only, youth brigade is people’s only hope. It’s upto the young blood to change public opinion of netas, to re-establish politics as fight of ideology rather than as a play of opportunism.

Rahul, being one of the most powerful youth leaders in the country today, deserves criticism for what he has accomplished. What he chose to adopt in the media interaction was thoroughly unbecoming of him. He is young and energetic, has a vision, can take up the challenge to revolutionise a change in coalition era with the support of thousands of his party cadres and set an example for others to follow, both within his party and outside.

But he has finished up joining likes of Omar Obedullah, Varun Gandhi, Raj and Uddhav Thakeray in a way. Does his approach mean that the light at end of the tunnel – is missing?