Congress allies in the UPA — the DMK, Trinamul Congress, NCP and the NC — are not keen on either having a common minimum programme or a coordination committee at a time when the ruling front is completing one year in office this month. On the other hand, supporting parties like the SP, BSP and the RJD are playing the role of trouble-shooters at the Centre but are playing the opposite role in UP and Bihar.
The ruling partners appeared to be unenthusiastic about a common minimum programme of governance despite the fact that they fought the Lok Sabha elections on their own manifestos.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar had wanted the UPA to fight the elections under the UPA banner across the country but clarified that the UPA was state-specific and not a national-level alliance.
In the 2004 general election, the Congress had shown the spirit of accommodation and thus even left some seats for the Left parties outside West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura. That time the main objective was to defeat the BJP-led NDA.
But in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, the objective was different as the Congress managers did not see the NDA as a threat and the Left as a natural ally outside West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura.
This approach had compelled the NCP to ally with the Biju Janata Dal in Orissa and some Left parties.
Now, the UPA partners main objective is to retain power in their strongholds. The DMK’s main objective is to win the coming Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, and that is perhaps the reason as to why Tamil Nadu chief minister M. Karunanidhi is not interested in playing a role at the Centre. On the other hand, Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee is eager to make history in West Bengal by unseating the Marxists who have been ruling the state for more than three decades continuously.
Therefore, the DMK and Trinamul are not asking for a CMP. The NCP has become passive after winning the Maharashtra Assembly polls continuously for the third time last year.
The NC has little role mainly because its strength in the Lok Sabha is very little.
The Samajwadi Party, BSP and the RJD might be playing the role of trouble-shooter of the Manmohan Singh government but their support is based on convenience and not on convictions, UPA insiders feel.
All three parties are backing the government due to compulsions, and that is perhaps the reason why they are not asking for a coordination committee.
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Mamata cautions Congress
Dibyajyoti Chaudhuri
Kolkata
May 12: Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee had a word of caution for the Congress on Wednesday. “Our ultimate fight is against the CPI(M). If somebody thinks that they will come between us and divide the vote then people will not spare them,” she warned.
Concentrating her attack on the CPI(M), she said the Stephen Court incident has proved the city has become a death valley. “In 33 years of rule, the CPI(M) could not augment the fire services department or acquire ladders. The CPI(M)-led KMC board has miserably failed,” she said.