Sonia will still call the shots

THE EDITOR: With regards to your editorial on Ms Sonia Gandhi decision not to accept the position of Prime Minister of India, please note that it was a practical decision and in tune with the realities on the ground in India rather than from any genuine spirit of renunciation of the position by Mrs Gandhi. After the election, it became clear she would be the Prime Minister and that was her and her party’s position up to the day before she was scheduled to be sworn in. And I think she deserves to be Prime Minister and should have gone ahead and accept it. But then she did an about face in light of the mounting opposition.

There is no doubt that Mrs Gandhi made a great sacrifice; for a second time (first in 1991 when her husband was killed) she turned down the top post and one should not belittle the sacrifice. But it would have been more admirable if she had announced right after the election results on May 14 that she was not a prime ministerial candidate. Nevertheless, Sonia’s decision to decline the post is commendable. No doubt her decision has saved the country from being violently divided on a highly emotive issue; violence was threatened on both sides and she did the honourable thing to decline the position to shift the focus away from her. Protests about her foreign birth and opposition to her becoming Prime Minister has helped her emerge as a formidable leader. She has created a larger than life image for herself in Indian politics and people are already comparing her to Indira and Jawaharlal (which I believe is an exaggeration).

But Mrs Gandhi stands tall among Indian politicians and has set a new standard in politics around the world. She has shown she is not interested in power. She stood firm on her decline of the top post and said she would not backtrack and accept the top position in spite of repeated appeals; that was a master political stroke that would endear her to the rural millions. In declining the Prime Minister post, she has demonstrated one of the greatest seva (service in Hinduism ) “service before self” and how I wish other Indian politicians would follow suit. She will have won the hearts of even those who did not vote for her thereby raising her political stock. In fact, she is now being described in the press as a stateswoman for rising above partisanship and bigotry and showing her love for her adopted homeland, India. But it is also hoped that she would not close her eyes to corruption among allies who are known for their corrupt ways.

It should be pointed out that there was stiff opposition to Mrs Sonia Gandhi becoming Prime Minister not only from among the losing BJP-NDA alliance but silently from within her own party and her coalition partners. When she was chosen as the Prime Minister by her party and the alliance, none of the coalition partners was willing to come forward and accept cabinet positions. But as soon as she stepped down and appointed Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister, most of the coalition partners demanded cabinet berths. There is stiff competition for cabinet positions among the parties which pledged support to the Congress. This could lead to the undoing of the government. It should also be known that when Mrs. Gandhi was chosen as the Prime Ministerial candidate, the Bombay stock market lost U.S $55 billion in value on one day; that sealed her fate. And as soon as Manmohan Singh was announced as her replacement, the stock market recovered most of its losses.

Business people did not have faith in her. I think Sonia has met the requirements (as a naturalised Indian citizen) to lead the nation although I don’t think she has the political skills, maturity and experience to govern a large nation like India. Nevertheless she led an alliance into the elections that trounced the governing alliance and that gives her the right to govern. In addition, there are political leaders who had or have less political ability than Mrs Gandhi and they governed effectively.

Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarnegger were political novices who learned quickly on the job to become skillful leaders. Mrs Ganhdi could have had similar on the job training. Although Mrs Gandhi is not the Prime Minister, she would call the shots from behind the chair. She still retains the powerful post of President of the Congress and could serve as the chair of the ruling coalition partners when they meet to review their programmes.

There is no doubt that the Congress owes its fortune to Mrs Gandhi and her two children. As I indicated in reports from India, the two Gandhi siblings, Priyanka and Rahul, are adored throughout India and are no doubt responsible for the rise in the Congress’s stocks. I had indicated before the results of the elections were announced that in the event that the Congress wins the elections, the allies would not be comfortable with Mrs Gandhi as the Prime Minister.

That has come to pass. And I indicated that the allies would prefer Rahul or Priyanka over Sonia. But apparently her children don’t want to accept leadership now. I think either one is destined to become Prime Minister in the near future. A Gandhi has been denied the top post for now. But in spite of opposition to Sonia as Prime Minister, one must applaud the Indian political system for its relatively peaceful transfer of power unlike in most other countries.

VISHNU BISRAM
Port-of -Spain