The result of West Bengal Vidhan Sabha elections where BJP suffered a heavy defeat is touted as the vindication for the utter failure of the Central Government or to be precise Modi government in handling the second wave of Covid pandemic. The Trinamool Congress party won 213 seats upping its last time performance despite the stupendous amount of money and other resources spent by the BJP in the electoral arena. But despite my growing weariness with the BJP and its different governments in centre and states, I don't find this landslide victory of TMC good for a country like India which is a melting pot of cultures as diversified as profoundly vegetarian Gujarat to a dog meat eating Nagaland (though recently banned). In this current bumper mandate given to Mamata Banerjee I try to reminisce the suitability and necessity of Coalition governments for Indian Polity.
 |
| TMC celebrating 2021 victory despite Election Commission Advisory and Covid situation. |
Our Tryst with Coalition Governments till the year 1998
The most common rhetoric that we are hearing for quite some time is if not this leader or this party then whom? And a coalition government seems to be utterly distasteful for our political palate. Though it is not totally without reasons. The first coalition government by Janta Party in 1977 came to a cropper with in 3 years (witnessing immense infighting) and we didn't see a Coalition government for almost next 10 years. The National Front government in 1989 saw back to back two Prime Minister with in two years, further dampening the plot for Coalition politics. The PV Narshima rao's minority government in 1991 was not exactly Coalition government but could be considered an extrapolation of the same concept. It in many terms was the most revolutionary and courageous government of all times ushering in the era of liberalisation and a privatization. The highly unstable Governments of HD Devegoda and I K Gujral and 13 month's government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee that followed it further presented the follies of Coalition politics in Indian Political Landscape.
But deconstruction of 1990s era polity provides that the governments formed in the name of Coalition politics were actually misnomer references to the actual concept. These were totally opportunistic government formations (as if there is any other type of government formation) with no central leader or party to provide shape and structure to the government. It was in fact a grand mismatch of parties just to form governments. Prime Ministers like Devegowda and Gujaral were only stopgap arrangements.
 |
| Deve Gowda infamous for caught napping many times during Meetings and Parliament |
Era of 1998 -2014: When Coalition Governments Became A Reality
It was actually this phase when to an optimal extent decentralized and accountable Governments functioned at the central level. National democratic Alliance saw in its fold political parties from Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, West bengal, Odisha, Jammu and Kashmir and others wielding their powers and raising their regional concerns. And all this was happening while we were having a stable government at Centre. The National parties were learning the art of accommodating the concern of regional parties and adhering to a common minimum programme to suit all its constituents. Thay may not have been very revolutionary but it catered to the sentiments of different parts of the country and also to the feeling of unity in the country as people reveled in the opportunity of sharing National Power.
While BJP was the initiator of the successful Coalition Politics, Congress mastered the art quickly and formed consecutive United Progressive Alliance government for two terms. Though the UPA government was heavily tainted of corruption charges in the last years of its second term, it was also the phase when India witnessed its highest growth rate in near history up to almost 10%. It is though not to discount the fact that the government at that time became highly obnoxious and arrogant, completely ignoring the concerns of people and taking them for granted. For which it was rightly punished with Congress stumbling to a mere two digit figure of 44 in General elections of 2014.
 |
| The two Stalwarts of Coalition Politics. |
Context in Current Circumstances: Annihilation of Balance/Separation of Power.
Citizens voted for a majority government of BJP in 2014 with very high hopes and aspirations. BJP returned in 2019 with even a more powerful mandate completely obliviating the need of its Coalition partners. But along with this triumphant run to power we lost the most sacrosanct virtue of Balance of Power in a Democracy. The over the top mandate given to the central government was treated in itself as a cue to trample all the democratic institution that could come in it's way of conquering the elixir of ultimate and continuous power. No constitutional institution mattered whether Parliament or Judiciary while institutions like CBI and ED were always considered to be the fiefdom of sitting government controlling the center, since ages.
The Supreme Court which was considered to be the most powerful court in the world surrendered with delayed hearings of important cases including CAB, NRC, Reservation bill for EWS etc. A new culture of 'Sealed Envelope' submission of evidences is just another example of throttling the course of fair trial and justice (In Rafale and Loan defaulter cases).
Passing the Bills in order to cater to a particular ideology or constituency may not be wrong per se (if not against the basic structure of constitution) but the way in which they are passed, completely ignoring the debates, and even proper voting in fact nullifies the existence of Parliament itself. The parliament has been turned into a mere rubber stamping authority for Government decisions.
Media for last several years has become just a propaganda machinery for the current government completely vacating its role of questing the government. Election Commission is reminding the times of pre T N Sheshan era when its was a mere toothless paper tiger. It would not be forgotten that it has blood on its hands of thousands of people who were sacrificed for the grand festival of elections.
This all reminds of a time period of Coalition governments when media had the gut to ask real questions. Judiciary gave stupendous landmark judgements (cancelling of 2G licenses and coal allocation, Homosexual rights and abolition of art 377 etc.). These institutions were considerate towards the need of common man. It was the time when one could raise concerns of common people or communities without being castigated as anti national.
Awakening of Regional Consciousness
With Congress party tottering to its ultimate demise, it is even more pertinent for regional parties to claw back their share of power in the central government not just for regional aspirations but for the overall balance of democracy, separation of power and rule of law. Whichever national party forms the government it must not do so without the support of regional satraps.
It can be argued this system is not perfect and has many flaws, but in the end Democracy in reality and practice is the choosing of bad among the worse.
 |
| A Coalition of Interests |
