09-27-2006, 07:55 AM
<b>Change or perish</b>
<i>The party and government leaderships are sealing up the future of Congress politicians</i>.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->But whatever this does to this crazy, bizarre spectacle called the UPA government, the fact that nobody is going to be moved up, sideways, down or out is not in itself a healthy thing. Revolts there may not be. Not in the Congress end. Because Sonia Gandhi and probably the PM don't want change, the efficient ministers and ministers-in-waiting would just have to accept the unacceptable. There will be no rewards, no reshuffles. And the non-performers will also get the message. There will be no punishment.
<b>What is at the centre of this no-change policy? Fear. When Sonia Gandhi crafted the government together, her primary requirement may or may not have been efficiency. It was certainly loyalty. Without a political base, she was certain Manmohan Singh wouldn't backstab her. From all the others from the Congress she made ministers, she expected the same. Loyalty. Loyalty at all cost. Where she had residual suspicions about some ministers, who were not all without a political base like Manmohan Singh, she balanced off rivalries. Pranab was pitted against Arjun for the number two slot, although Pranab has retained the edge. Natwar was brought into foreign because he was a family loyalist. Volcker was a foreign machination Sonia Gandhi couldn't control. P.Chidambaram against Kamal Nath. Jairam Ramesh against Kamal Nath. The leg pulling was built into the whole arrangement.</b>
Something new is happening. The establishment is striking back at the PM who it perceives of selling out on Indian interests. It is taking the course of the nuke deal opposition, but it could get a lot more vicious. Putting a stopper on dissent will only increase the pressure in the cooker. Cookers burst. We all know that.
In lovely, cool Nainital, all this may have escaped the Congress and Central government leaderships. If it hasn't, they may be sanguine about controlling it. Not easy. Before long, Congress Central ministers are going to challenge their denied futures. The challenge could take the form of internal sabotage. The same goes for those who have been denied inductance either in the government or in the party. <b>The younger Congress politicians feel outraged. They reckon their careers are limited because of the limitations of Rahul Gandhi</b>.
This is truly a pressure cooker situation building up. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<i>The party and government leaderships are sealing up the future of Congress politicians</i>.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->But whatever this does to this crazy, bizarre spectacle called the UPA government, the fact that nobody is going to be moved up, sideways, down or out is not in itself a healthy thing. Revolts there may not be. Not in the Congress end. Because Sonia Gandhi and probably the PM don't want change, the efficient ministers and ministers-in-waiting would just have to accept the unacceptable. There will be no rewards, no reshuffles. And the non-performers will also get the message. There will be no punishment.
<b>What is at the centre of this no-change policy? Fear. When Sonia Gandhi crafted the government together, her primary requirement may or may not have been efficiency. It was certainly loyalty. Without a political base, she was certain Manmohan Singh wouldn't backstab her. From all the others from the Congress she made ministers, she expected the same. Loyalty. Loyalty at all cost. Where she had residual suspicions about some ministers, who were not all without a political base like Manmohan Singh, she balanced off rivalries. Pranab was pitted against Arjun for the number two slot, although Pranab has retained the edge. Natwar was brought into foreign because he was a family loyalist. Volcker was a foreign machination Sonia Gandhi couldn't control. P.Chidambaram against Kamal Nath. Jairam Ramesh against Kamal Nath. The leg pulling was built into the whole arrangement.</b>
Something new is happening. The establishment is striking back at the PM who it perceives of selling out on Indian interests. It is taking the course of the nuke deal opposition, but it could get a lot more vicious. Putting a stopper on dissent will only increase the pressure in the cooker. Cookers burst. We all know that.
In lovely, cool Nainital, all this may have escaped the Congress and Central government leaderships. If it hasn't, they may be sanguine about controlling it. Not easy. Before long, Congress Central ministers are going to challenge their denied futures. The challenge could take the form of internal sabotage. The same goes for those who have been denied inductance either in the government or in the party. <b>The younger Congress politicians feel outraged. They reckon their careers are limited because of the limitations of Rahul Gandhi</b>.
This is truly a pressure cooker situation building up. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->