Covid 19- Although Maharashtra added 10,425 cases yesterday, but Mumbai’s contribution was only 5.6%, ie only 587 cases. The state which has now more than 1.65 lakh active cases, where as Mumbai has little less than 18,000 cases. Yesterday’s increase in Mumbai was lowest number of cases in a day, after 105 days. There have been in heavy dip in number of daily cases in Mumbai for last many days, whereas in the state on the average cases are increasing by at least 10,000+ cases for last so many days. Does it mean that pandemic is slowly reducing in Mumbai?. I think it is very early to say that.
For last few days there have been news item about Congress party. But is this the same Indian National Congress, which was formed by AO Hume and others in the fag end of 19th century and which was the spearhead of our freedom movement? The answer to this will be, that party is long dead, and it was Jawaharlal Nehru & Indira Gandhi who were responsible for its slow death.
Courts may have given their verdicts that the present outfit occupying office at 24, Akbar Road, New Delhi is the real Indian National Congress, but that would be merely in the name only. In spirit and more importantly in its DNA, this is Congress Incorporated, a family run entity. This is how its founder Indira Gandhi envisaged the party, that she carved out of the original Congress. To use business terms, the Gandhi family were the promoters and like most of the promoters, the family will never wants to part the control of the party to someone else. In Indira’s mind there was never an iota of doubt about what she has done, which was to ensure that it was Nehru/Gandhis that remained the custodians of the party’s interests, never mind what her father ( who had faith in some democratic procedures) would have wanted.
She cleverly altered the party’s DNA to convert it from open house of ideas and ideologies into one that would only reflect the interest of the family. In doing this , she was helped by group of congressmen, they saw her as the saviour of their political, and electoral fortunes. And why not she was giving them good Return on Investment in terms of electoral victories, after converting the electoral process into a vote on her appeal or charisma than on performance. Because she had converted India’s major political party into her personal entity, which she wanted to pass on to her sons, Sanjay first and Rajiv later.
Sanjay had long apprenticeship under her, saw no conflict in stepping into her shoes, but fate had other ideas. Rajiv , a reluctant entrant to politics at first, harboured any misgivings, but they must have fizzled out after he won 400+ seats in 1984 general election.
Now Sonia Gandhi may not have learnt the art of politicking directly from her mother in law Indira Gandhi, but more through by virtue of being heir of Rajiv Gandhi, who was assassinated in 1991. When she entered the politics seven years, after her husband’s death, she entered with full knowledge that Congress party’s indispensability in the nation’s affair at that time, and of the family’s indispensability in the congress party’s affairs.
Sonia’s initial electoral foray’s may not have been good for her and party, but she continued with zeal, believing in her destiny, and it paid off in 2004 & 2999 general elections. Surely, she understood Congress Inc’s DNA perfectly. Her children, have been disappointments, not to her may be, but probably to the polity and most certainly to the party, they treat so disdainfully.
Being 3rd generation heirs, they are filled with sense of entitlement, even a strange self belief that all they have to do is to appear at political rally and votes will vote for congress party. Perhaps it was so with their grand mother. Maybe with their father in 1984, but by 1989 and 1991 it was clearly on fade. Their mother fought a lonely battle, overcoming limitations of language and culture to lead a party in a manner where she still remains the refuge of last resort. And because things are not going their way, according to the script they have handed over, her children find it easier to blame the party organisation for not supporting and backing them, which leads to their sulking after every electoral defeat.
The problem is that they have refused to accept that political scenario and game has totally changed. Their opponent is not the same. He was weakling earlier, but now he is stronger giant.. In many states their allies can be best described as frenemies.
Although there is discontent in the party, but that is not a sign of revolt. Congressmen are aware about their limitations, although they may spat among themselves, but they will not dare to take on family. Even 2nd generation leader like Sachin pilot know that only Gandhi can lead the party. But the party men are not happy, similar to shareholders in a company will be when their return on investment is dismissal. Which is all right if promoters showed some seriousness in running the company. Now if the promoters do not fulfil their role, will the shareholders seek their replacement.
That is what happened 2 days back in a meeting lasting 7 hours. That party has since said that it will elect a new president in 6 months. Everyone knows that after six months what will happen, do I have to specify.
What you say my friends.
Waiting for your feed backs/comments/views.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
26th August 2020.
R. N. Mungale.
Mumbai is getting better day by day.
It is a pity that Congress is in this state.