THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY May 17, 1952 Conditional Mandate for Congress

EPSU has a lesson for Congress. rashtra on the sides, and by East tion cabinets would have discover­ P But it can be over-emphasised, Punjab on the north. Politics in ed the formidable strength that PEPSU consists of Patiala and the PEPSU reflects all the cross cur­ Congress, the single largest party in East Punjab States. It is a Part B rents in the neighbouring States. all these States, could master as the State, like Rajasthan, Saurashtra or But it is not dominated by any of Opposition. These Governments Hyderabad. But unlike Rajasthan them. Sardar Gian Singh, its Chief would have been under the constant and Saurashtra, politics in PEPSU Minister, is a Sikh. He is a mem­ threat of the division bell. Poli­ is not dominated by a princely ber of the Akali Dal. But he and tical incompatability of the coalition hierarchy. There are formidable his Akali Dal, Sardar Gian Singh parties could have weakened their feudal groups in PEPSU. But Con- assures PEPSU's Hindus, are not cabinets. They would have fallen gress has lost the political battle in Panthic Sikhs. Apparently, then, under the pressure tactics of Con­ PEPSU primarily because of Sardar Gian Singh does not look to gress. Then Congress could have schism within its ranks. Congress East Punjab or to Master Tara sought a fresh mandate. It would was making headway in the former Singh for his political inspiration. have emerged out of the fresh elec­ Indian States. But it never had He has been suspected of a clan­ tion with an overwhelming majority. any hold, in any of them. They destine alliance with the former It is a strategy which has many have now been politically and terri­ rulers of PEPSU. But he can argue attractions. Congress flirted with torially merged into the Republic that it is not he, an Independent the idea initially. It abandoned the of India. Congress has gained turned an Akali Dal member, or strategy presumably because it was ground in these areas since Inde­ the Akali Dal who has formed the alarmed at the implications of the pendence. But the Congress party Ministry. The Government has Communist hold, even if tempo­ machine is not as developed as in been formed by the United Demo­ rary, over the machinery of the all the Part A States. cratic Front. administration in some of the major PEPSU is not the only State The United Democratic Front southern States. What drawing- where Congress has emerged out (UDF) manifests itself in more room strategists failed to realise. of the elections with a bare majo­ than one way. In southern States, Congress, with its long experience of rity. In PEPSU, Rajasthan, Sau­ it is an alliance of Communists, party machines and with its post- rashtra and Orissa, Congress faced Left Socialists, and some Independ­ independence experience as the a challenge from reactionary feudal ents of non-descript political com­ party in power, instantly appreciat­ and vested interests. That chal­ plexion. In PEPSU, UDF is an ed. The Communists may be poli­ lenge Congress overcame. It con­ unholy combination of communists tical opportunists, but they are fronted more formidable opposi­ and political groups of the Right. aware of the high stakes they are tion in all the southern States. PEPSU, in a way, is a political playing. It would have been a Here the challenge was from Fur­ phenomenon which is a by-product tactical blunder for Congress to ther Left. Congress suffered rever­ of the election in some of the allow the Communists to get hold ses in the election in all the south­ north-western States. (Orissa is a of the administrative machinery. ern States. But both in PEPSU solitary eastern State which reflects Subsequent events have vindicated and in southern States Congress the same phenomenon). Pandit the post-election strategy pursued came out of the election as the Nehru, it will be recalled, had by Congress. Even as Congress single largest party. occasion to warn the country as Governments have not been de­ In these States Congress had two the elections were being held of the throned in the southern States, Con­ choices. It could either refuse to danger of a combination between gress might not have succeeded in form the Ministry on the ground political and economic fascists. defeating cabinets formed or led by that it was not sure of forming a Not only in PEPSU, but in some the Communists. The composi­ stable Government. In that event other States in northern and east­ tion and strength of parties in the responsibility for forming the ern India, communists are commit­ assemblies in southern States were, Government would have fallen on ted to alliances with political and are, too fluid. Congress was the United Democratic Front, an fascists masquerading as cornmunal- right in not making the risky experi­ electoral alliance of Communists ists or advocates of linguistic states ment. and of groups or parties with vary­ or supporters of sects or castes. Even if it be assumed that Con­ ing political ideologies. Alter­ Politics is a game of the possible. gress could have succeeded in natively, Congress could follow the Whether or not the Communists defeating coalition cabinets in traditional democratic practice are political opportunists, it is un­ northern States, it is doubtful whe­ which enjoins the single largest deniable that Congress has suffered ther Congress could have easily party to make an experiment with considerable loss of face in the formed alternative Government in formation of the Ministry. Con­ defeat of the Congress Ministry in some of these States. Today gress adopted this alternative. PEPSU. More intriguing is the PEPSU is an exception. In almost Events in PEPSU have raised emery whether Congress could have all the southern States Congress has doubts about the post-election stra­ turned the table on the Commun­ tested its strength against the tegy of Congress. ists in the southern States. Formid­ Opposition. It has succeeded in PEPSU has more than one claim able arguments can be marshalled manoeuvring itself into a position in to distinction. Its foremost claim in favour of a strategy of indirect all the southern State Assemblies to political individuality is that it approach. Congress could have which assure? continual Congress is the first State in the Republic lulled the Communists into a Government. Those who were in of India where a non-Congress greater sense of security by permit­ favour of allowing Communists to Ministry has been formed. It is ting them to form the Governments form coalition cabinets in southern flanked by Rajasthan and Sau­ in southern States. Soon the coali­ States are either amateur strategists 467 May 17, 1952 THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY or optimists. Realism is a virtue in matic about hypothetical cases and the Governor or the Rajpramukh. politics. And the Congress Work­ their sequences. But there is reason All this will be admitted by those ing Committee was right in sensing to believe that Congress would have familiar with party politics. Con- a possible danger in provoking a lost more ground had there been a gress has played its cards cleverly situation which would have com­ second appeal to the country imme- and shrewdly. As a political party pelled the northern States to go to diately after the general elections. it is entitled to play party politics. the poll again. Today the position is slightly better. Here the issues of party politics Could Congress improve its posi­ The Opposition in all the southern end and wider political issues tion in the election in southern States has tried its strength without emerge. There is a joke going States now or immediately after the success. In none of these States round the streets of Bombay and indecisive verdict of "the general Congress has been defeated on the Poona that Congress would suffer a elections? It is difficult to be dog­ vote of thanks and the address of decisive defeat if the elections were held again today, There is a country-wide agitation against the rise in rationed food prices follow­ ing the abolition of subsidies. The economics of subsidies is not in question here. But its political implications are palpably evident. They, as nothing else, emphasise the conditional mandate that Congress has received from the people. The voter voted Congress back to power not because of its past perform­ ance, but because of its election pledges that it will pursue a more progressive economic policy. The Socialists may well resent their ill luck. They would have fared better with proportional representation and cumulative voting. They could have done better still, had the rise in food prices consequent on lifting of subsidies taken place before the elections. That Central subsidies would be lifted was known even before elec­ tions. But it was good tactics of the Nehru Government to announce its decision relating to subsidies after the elections, and after arrangements for forming Congress Ministries, in the uncertain south­ ern States had been completed. Congress has an overwhelming majority in the House of the People, and in many State Assemblies. With the exception of PEPSU it has now managed to secure a working majority even in those States where it emerged out of the elections only as the largest single party. If the opposition is weak, or almost non-existent in industrial States like West Bengal and Bom­ bay, it is doubtful whether even an economic depression and unemploy­ ment can threaten its position in the southern States. Indications are that Congress Governments will enjoy their normal period of life of five years. But if Congress does not realise that it has only a condi­ tional mandate, the shape of things may be entirely different five years hence. There is yet no indication that Congress has either the humi­ lity or the vision to acknowledge that it has got only a conditional mandate from the people.