INDIA FIRST

The Congress party recently claimed that it was the only national party to bid for power during the next elections. Recognition of a political party as a national entity is done by the Election Commission in accordance with established rules, with which no one can evidently have any quarrel. Nor should any eyebrows be raised if the party’s intent is to highlight its presence in and ability to contest polls all over the country. But that is not the end of the story. The Congress cannot afford to forget that it has not been able to come to power either at the Centre or in several States on its own. In the largest State, U.P., it has been reduced to the status of a marginal player despite Gandhi family’s continuing nurturing of Amethi constituency. At the Centre, the UPA govt. was all but voted out by the Left & the BJP over the nuclear deal had the SP not outsmarted its opponents. Therefore, it is premature to accept the party’s exaggerated assessment of its strength notwithstanding the fact that its rule, barring some low points at the end, has largely been positive and successful. Wooing by AIADMK, despite Congress’ alliance with DMK, seems to endorse this view. Most impartial observers conceded that in the run up to the election, the Congress party has en edge over its rivals. This has as much to do with the sad state of affairs in BJP, which seems devoid of any constructive and alternative programs as with the splintered remnants of Third Front sought to be revived by the Left parties on the basis of anti-Congressism.

In such a scenario, Congress will be ill-advised to harp on its national status since it may have to rally smaller and regional parties to make the magical numbers. Aiming to acquire a majority by itself in the national elections should be the normal approach but it can be done better by adopting a national vision. The party functionaries could argue that that the two- national status and vision- are synonymous with one leading to the other. This is matter of semantics, not of policies. Congress has as much pandered to the regional, sectional, caste or minority sentiment as any other party. Lauding selling of cheap rice or providing free power in normal times amounts to the same. While those living in Delhi’s slums pay for power by individual meters, the students in JNU hostels need not do so. Didn’t the Congress government in A.P. reserve jobs for Muslims despite a clear mandate in the Constitution not to adopt policies based on religion? Ever since the government increased seats and jobs for OBCs, there has been a competition among even affluent castes to be declared backward. The ten-year mandate to frame such policies has been extended to more than half a century perpetuating a vested interest in poverty and backwardness. This is not expected of a party committed to all round progress and growth. Though attention to local issues is necessary, a national party must adopt a national vision. If Congress wishes to take the nation forward, it must believe in and act upon the dictum, INDIA FIRST.