Politically Unemployed? Join NDA and Get Employed!

- D. Vishnumohan Rao

Trinamool Congress’ (TC) rejoining the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is just a latest addition to the soaring score to the citations of ‘there are no permanent friends and foes to a politician’.

May be giving consent and opening the doors of NDA membership again for TC by the Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in spite of somewhat strong resentment of the present members would be treated as his foresight and expertise in safe strategies.

There were pressures and sanctions from the NDA members for giving yet another offer to TC, which were turned down by the humble ringleader Vajpayee. He must be more bothered about the consequences if the threatening Shiva Sena and National Conference drop out the NDA. The NDA government would lose majority in the House and collapse if they withdrew their support to Alliance.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference supremo Farooq Abdullah along with Bala Thackery, the chief of Shiva Sena stated to relieve themselves from the NDA on various reasons. This paved way for the TC to get through in its attempt to join NDA. However, there was no other pre-occupation to the TC chief Mamatha Banerjee and its members in the House.

The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) of Tamil Nadu is passing through a similar rough patch in the political career. As part of the post ‘Tehelka Expose’ actions and reactions, PMK and TC walked out of NDA on the reasons best known to them. Both the parties suffered a major set back with the tie-ups they had during the latest round of Assembly elections in their concerned states.

PMK associated with All India Anna Dravida Munnethra Khazagam (AIADMK) under the aegis of Puratchi Thalaivi Jayaraman Jalalithaa for the Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu. It could clinch ‘some’ seats with AIADMK’s help. It was going smooth until then. Jayalalithaa gave a jolt to PMK with her post election strategy. She bid PMK bye, since then PMK was left orphaned.

There in West Bengal TC lead by the (Bengal Tigress) Mamatha Banerjee took the Congress ‘Hand’ for the Assembly elections shadowing out ‘Lotus’ friendship. Congress could not give an anticipated support to TC and the latter suffered hugely, both in terms of public image and in terms of the number of seats.

One need not think about others reasons for PMK and TC opting to join the NDA again. Thinkers would end up at the intention of the parties to upkeep their identity politically. Especially, there are many behind the screen reasons why Mamatha Banerjee is longing for NDA partisanship.

Unbearable political unemployment

The assembly poll results in West Bengal sprayed water on Mamatha’s aspirations to state thrown. She seriously thought of dipping her head in he NDA colour-mix after analysing the results. She is under the impression that instead of waiting a ‘too long’ period of another four years in West Bengal, it would be more beneficial to rejoin the NDA and get one or the other berth at the Centre.

This time she realised the fact that her effort would go paining in vain if she tried to approach the Prime Minister through ‘sources and influenced’ for admission into the Alliance. Taking the right opportunity and tuning her timing, Mamatha directly spoke to Vajpayee. Even Vajpayee considered the request of TC Tigress, as the position was passing over a delicate note. Then it was a comfortable position for the TC to take NDA’s holy water on the head again.

Earlier, during the previous entry TC had the privilege of dictating terms and demanding things from the Alliance holders. Now, as there is such hole to dig in TC probably have to wait for some time to get any seat in the cabinet. Another million dollar question arises is whether the TC maintains the silence with all its nine MPs the Status Quo until the offer was forwarded.

Earlier, both PMK and TC were having two ministries each.

Protection of party men at stake

The prime interest of the TC chief Mamatha is looks like protecting the interests of her party workers and sympathisers. With the experiences, she and her party men faced during the pre and post assembly polls, TC needs at least one Central portfolio to safeguard the TC party activists. West Bengal, strong forts for Leftists for the past two and a half decades have in stride much strength and mass support.

It was the lone look out of Mamatha for longing the NDA feather in her cap to sustain the pressures of Leftists on her and her party in the state. One can recall the attacks on TC workers by the Leftists especially in the regions where TC is having hold. It is a bare fact that TC members are at stake in the hands of Leftists in West Bengal and only two factors can come to the rescue of them. One being, to get included in the NDA list and the next to gain a cabinet berth by hook or crook.

NC, SS help TC up the ladder

The timely God sent assistance through National Conference and Shiva Sena came handy to Mamatha. Bal Thackery who controls the activities of Shiva Sena single-handed, enraged on the NDA government on some issues that included Unit Trust of India turmoil. Thackery directly stated that the party would leave NDA if the functioning of the government continued in a similar fashion in near future.

On the other hand, National Conference chief and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister was furious on the Prime Minister’s statement on August 15. According to him, the speech of Prime Minister Vajpayee from the Red Fort on the Independence Day contained a statement mentioning ‘a free and fair poll in Jammu and Kashmir’ assurance. This irked Farooq Abdullah. Unconditionally the Prime Minister should withdraw the statement, Farooq threatened, on the contrary, National Conference will not be seen as part of National Democratic Alliance. More over, Farooq stated that it was a statement that did not suit the stature of the Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

The NDA government at Centre falls short of majority in case SS and NC drop out of the Alliance. Vajpayee analysing about the aftermath and to avoid the ‘danger’ must have welcomed the Pattali Makkal Katchi and Trinamool Congress back into the coalition, is the review of political observers.

Our demands met, no problem for rejoining

Both PMK and TC supported their walkout from NDA and rejoining it. The eyewash statements from both of the parties meant the same, ‘during the Tehelka expose our demand was for resignation of Defence Minister. There is no problem now for rejoining as Mr George Fernandes resigned from the ministry.’

Other member parties are unable to digest the fact that place was created for both PMK and TC in the Alliance. A much stronger criticism came from the Bharatiya Janata Party’s national president Jana Krishna Murthy against the admission of Trinamool Congress.

Amid all this, Trinamool Congress and Pattali Makkal Katchi should invariably wait for an offer from the Alliance, if any member of these parties should swear in as Central Minister.

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