Regional Satraps

The Rise of Regional Satraps

The results of the state elections have once again brought back the regional satraps at the national level. The electoral verdict in five states has revived the debate on the tactical importance of national parties to have strong leaders and well-oiled party machinery in the poll-bound states. These elections have brought forth strong regional leaders, Mamta Bannerji, Jayalalitha and Jagan Mohan Reddy. It would be mental laziness to merely dismiss these regional leaders and the growing phenomenon of rationalization of India's politics. It may be recalled that until the 1980s national politics completely subsumed regional aspirations. Now, regional politics is seeking to determine the national agenda. The growing power of these leaders is such that both the national parties ( Cong & BJP) are finding it difficult to tackle them. Congress, is getting a jolt from Jagan Mohan Reddy while the BJP, has failed to convince the Karnataka CM Yeddyurappa that rampant corruption in his government, are causing enough harm to the party and thus he should quit. Political parties are unable to act against such trends, since they have no leader of political or moral authority. The mighty Congress, which ruled the country at the time of Independence, has splintered into multiple parties now.

In 21st century when both the Congress and BJP are facing crisis of strong leader at the top there is no Indira Gandhi in Congress and BJP’s aging duo of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L KAdvani have lost their magic touch it is not only the regional leaders who are asserting, even their siblings are twisting the arms and there is no one to discipline them. Unlike in the past the chief ministers of today are in a better position to carve out their space. Better media management and social engineering as well as efficient use of centrally-sponsored populist programmes are helping them build their own image in their respective states. This was not possible with the regional satraps of a generation back.

Indian history has seen this phenomenon of strong central authority or rulers like the Moghuls & Mauryas, later succumbing to power of regional partners. A replica of this phenomenon of centralization and decentralization is being witnessed once again. A prolonged central rule of national party and its shortcomings have given way to the rise of regionalism. These election results show that the winning formula is a powerful regional leader. Tamil Nadu was the first state way back in late 60s which displaced the Congress by its own local party which soon became two parties. Congress has played second fiddle ever since in Tamil Nadu. In Kerala, the Congress is locally no different from the Communists as far as governance or political culture is concerned. Now, Mamata Banerjee has shown that West Bengal will also be like Tamil Nadu. There will be a regional party of Bengal which will rule without much of a role for the Congress. Nitish Kumar in Bihar and Navin Patnaik in Odisha are their own bosses, without a national party hovering over them and Narendra Modi does not have to listen to his national party. In Assam, Tarun Gogoi although under the central leadership has his own power and when in trouble could carve his own niche. He too can be a regional satrap

While the critics argue that his is the way a true federation should work. India is as large as Europe and there is no reason to expect uniform political cultures. Local interests, local class structures and local geography determine the shape of politics. Unfortunately this has not been the case in India. Rise of regional leaders have weaken the Nation and brought in corruption. It has promoted the feeling of separatism. These regional leaders are only committed to the growth of their own region. They use their respective ministries as their personal fiefdom. Look at A Raja and the mammoth Corruption in his ministry which virtually reduced the PMO to nothing. The Railway ministry has been used and abused for the growth of the region of the incharge minister. Successive Railway Ministers have favoured their own States, discarding merit and economic justification. Consequently, instead of getting stronger, the nation has seemed to become weak in one way or other. Now all our leaders are regional Satraps, with no all India affiliation. We cannot produce national leaders, as long as the Central Government allocates the resources. To save the country from the rise of these regional satraps, we'll have to promote and propagate the thoughts of nationalism at every level. Besides, it is the responsibility of the Central government to ensure that any group of people of any state, particularly rural people never think that they are being given step-motherly treatment by the governments. Regional satraps can be controlled only through such steps.