Many people would wonder – how come the Left parties fared so miserably after a spectacular showing in 2004. After all they surprised everyone (including themselves, I suspect) in 2004. Who would have imagined the communists to be a part of the ruling alliance in our country?
Many theories would be floated now – the most popular ones being about ditching the Congress on the matter of nuclear deal or about the Singur fracas.
I have a different answer – provided to me in a rather comic manner by none other than Brinda Karat. No – I didn't speak to her – I was watching her interview on NDTV.
After she was done with her predictable statements (this will require introspection, we accept the people's verdict, etc etc etc) she was asked a question by Mukul Kesavan. And this is EXACTLY what she said.
"That was a very interesting question, but I am sorry I couldn't quite follow you. Could you please repeat that question?"
Now – it is quite possible that the phone line was bad and she couldn't hear the question clearly. Fair enough. Then where was the need to say 'that was a very interesting question' ?
Back to my point – Brinda Karat's faux pas symbolizes everything that is wrong with the Communists. They are not listening. They are clueless about the voice of people, unless they pretend to be so (which is worse!)
Some time later Prakash Karat vindicated this by his statement which was in response to the que about their role in the new Lok Sabha. He said – we will argue in favour of alternate policies. We have always done that. Ever since the first general elections in 1952, we have always argued for alternate policies. Even when we were part of the ruling alliance, we still argued in favour of alternate policies.
That is a politically correct way of saying – when everyone is looking one way, we will always look the other way. Immaterial of which one is the appropriate way.
Many years ago, I was reading an article in India Today on the annual politburo meeting of the CPI(M) – mind you, these were still days of Harkishan Singh Surjeet and Jyoti Basu. The article began something like this.
“Every year, the CPI(M) general meeting harbours the hope that some day we shall lead. But as someone has said – some day we shall all be dead.”
They got a chance to jointly lead after 2004 and now they have botched it big time. The communists have to choose, and choose fast between being a part of the mainstream of the country's growth or be counted among those dead.
Many theories would be floated now – the most popular ones being about ditching the Congress on the matter of nuclear deal or about the Singur fracas.
I have a different answer – provided to me in a rather comic manner by none other than Brinda Karat. No – I didn't speak to her – I was watching her interview on NDTV.
After she was done with her predictable statements (this will require introspection, we accept the people's verdict, etc etc etc) she was asked a question by Mukul Kesavan. And this is EXACTLY what she said.
"That was a very interesting question, but I am sorry I couldn't quite follow you. Could you please repeat that question?"
Now – it is quite possible that the phone line was bad and she couldn't hear the question clearly. Fair enough. Then where was the need to say 'that was a very interesting question' ?
Back to my point – Brinda Karat's faux pas symbolizes everything that is wrong with the Communists. They are not listening. They are clueless about the voice of people, unless they pretend to be so (which is worse!)
Some time later Prakash Karat vindicated this by his statement which was in response to the que about their role in the new Lok Sabha. He said – we will argue in favour of alternate policies. We have always done that. Ever since the first general elections in 1952, we have always argued for alternate policies. Even when we were part of the ruling alliance, we still argued in favour of alternate policies.
That is a politically correct way of saying – when everyone is looking one way, we will always look the other way. Immaterial of which one is the appropriate way.
Many years ago, I was reading an article in India Today on the annual politburo meeting of the CPI(M) – mind you, these were still days of Harkishan Singh Surjeet and Jyoti Basu. The article began something like this.
“Every year, the CPI(M) general meeting harbours the hope that some day we shall lead. But as someone has said – some day we shall all be dead.”
They got a chance to jointly lead after 2004 and now they have botched it big time. The communists have to choose, and choose fast between being a part of the mainstream of the country's growth or be counted among those dead.
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