Manmohan, Mamata and Multi Brand
Investment in Retail
Even as I write this piece, the
pillars of the 2nd UPA Government are closeted in the PM’s
residence, ostensibly discussing TMC supremo Ms. Mamata Banerjee’s decision to
withdraw support to the Government. I use the term “ostensibly” on purpose, for
I don’t think that the powers that be in Delhi will suffer any serious
heartburn at her decision. On the contrary, I won’t be surprised if I hear a
collective sigh of relief. A kind of a “good riddance” feel, as with her
penchant for populism gone, the much needed and eagerly anticipated reform
process can be pursued in right earnest. The Government can go back to
governing as opposed to pacifying partners and the compulsions of coalition
will be just that bit less heavy.
But why did “Didi” do what she
did? Her detractors are laughing in mock disgust, pointing out the
unpredictable nature of the lady and her habitual, theatrical over reaction.
But contrary to what these political wimps of Bengal may be saying, what she
enacted was a carefully scripted, deft political masterstroke and there are
underlying reasons of saying so:
01. The
Congress High Command, time and again, treated her with a disdain that she did
not deserve considering her stature as a coalition partner. It reached the
flashpoint over the election of the President and acted as the proverbial last
straw when her warnings fell on deaf ears this time around. The sentimental
stormy petrel could weather the ignominy no more.
02. The
vote bank that Mamata Banerjee caters to – the poorest of the poor,
marginalized farmer, worker and minority do not understand the compulsions of
opening the doors to foreign investment in the retail sector. They haven’t even
heard of Walmart and are least bothered about its impending entry. To them the
message, that their ultimate savior Didi is willing to sacrifice anything and
everything to oppose price hike so that may breathe that much easy, is what she
will communicate.
03. Her
main opposition the CPI (M) has already taken to the streets in opposition. By
walking out she will be blunting their edge and immediately elevate herself to
a “holier than thou” status. To steal CPI (M)’s thunder to her is a far more
relishing than being part of the Center.
04. With
the Panchayet elections just round the corner, she just could not give up on
such an opportunity to refurbish her image as the Messiah of the poor.
05. UPA
2, like all sequels of blockbusters has been a damp squib so far. What is more,
it has been riddled with rampant corruption and a general state of apathy and
indecisiveness. By being a part, Mamata Banerjee would have run the risk of
sharing a part of the blame. She has deftly ducked the muck that the opposition
threw towards her and can now go back to doing what she does best – opposing
and protesting. Being in the ruler’s seat in Bengal she needed someone to
constantly shout against – with no opposition warranting her attention in the
state, she can now focus her ire on the Center.
06. The
2014 elections too are likely to end in a stalemate with no side having a
deciding majority. In such a scenario, TMC, which hopes to have a sizeable
number of MP’s in its kitty may well emerge as the tilting factor. Wooed by
both sides, she can not only play king maker, but well become the Queen
herself. It’s not as farfetched as you think. If Aravind Kejriwal and Ramdev
Baba can nurse the dream, Mamata Banerjee is far well placed and well suited to
turn it into a reality.
07. She
has another hidden agenda behind such a move. She has taken into consideration
the possibility of a vengeful Congress to play its cards. It will try either to
starve her by cutting supplies to the state or to break her by engineering
defections from her party. In either case she stands to win. The first scenario
will help her further weaken the CPI (M) as she will yank their petard of
“Center’s Step Motherly” attitude and may even make her emerge as the leader of
the opposition ruled CM’s. In the second scenario, she will get the chance to “purge”
her own stable as prominent disgruntled leaders like Somen Mitra, Dinesh
Trivedi, Sudip Bandopadhyay and a few others can be replaced with kitchen
loyalists without a base making her hold even more stronger.
08. The
Congress party in her state is already a political non-entity. By training her
guns at the Center, she can further aid the process of its total annihilation
and obliteration.
09. Sacrificing
the milch cow of the Railways may well become her trump card as she goes on to
paint her image as the true beholder of the legacy of the “Saint of the
Gutters”, Mother Teresa. Painting the town blue and white, reminiscent of the
uniform of order that the holy Mother initiated - the Missionaries of Charity –
was not getting her the desired effect and she feels, this move will surely
reap its rewards.
10. It
is a pyrrhic victory though. Mamata’s win may well spell doomsday for the
state. The treasury is already bankrupt. Industry is weary of investing fresh
capital. Her adamant stand against price hike of any sort is already corroding
the innards. The legacy of three and half decades of misrule that she inherited
is cropping its ugly head. Poverty and unemployment is making crime rates to
zoom. The real problems lie un-addressed.
- Chawm Ganguly
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