That was indeed a master stroke!
Note: This post was written immediately on hearing the news about Sonia Gandhi's resignation from Loksabha. At the time of writing, Sonia or anyone hasn't made any statement regarding the same.
It looks like Sonia Gandhi has got some good advisor to consult with. In 2004, she made an excellent move by renouncing premiership of the country and at one stroke blunted NDA/BJP's foreign origin 'brahmastra'. No one including her own partymen expected this, but that clearly showed that she was ready to play the tough game.
Fast forwarding the scenes to last week, based on a complaint most likely from Congress men, Election Commission recently disqualified Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan (Samajwadi Party) on the grounds that she was holding an Office of Profit. Perhaps, those who originally complained against Jaya didn't actually expect that the same law could backfire at them. NDA - which has been losing strength as well as meaning in the last two years, suddenly found a bright light at the end of the tunnel. It quickly joined hands with Samajwadi Party, sympathised with them over Jaya Bachchan's disqualification and made a complaint against Sonia Gandhi and few others including speaker Somnath Chatterjee over the fact that the same law must be enforced upon them as they were holding office of profit. Things started to become interesting since it involved Sonia Gandhi rather than anyone else. She came under scanner as she is the chairperson of National Advisory Council as well as the Government funded Rajiv Gandhi Foundation.
Initially, the Congress was putting up a brave front. They were pooh poohing Opposition's claim that Sonia Gandhi wouldn't be affected as both the bodies she heads now have nothing to do with Government. But then, all of a sudden, they started to panic. It was very much apparent that they started considering an ordinance, apparently to save Sonia from imminent disqualification. The Indian Express somehow got wind of the idea and put that up in its front page on Wednesday, the 22nd instant. Opposition got a shot in the arm as Rajya Sabha Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekawat spilled the beans in saying that the Government has sent in a request to adjourn the house sine die. Otherwise, he would have adjourned the house until 10th May. The significance of this is that, if the house is adjourned until a certain date, it would be difficult to bring in the ordinance. These developments made NDA to meet President Kalam and requested him not to give his assent to any such ordinance that the Government might bring up. It appeared yesterday that Kalam was getting ready for a litmus test.
Had the Government brought in an ordinance to save Sonia, that would have been the single biggest slap on democracy in the recent times. To bring in an ordinance to save a single person's membership to the house, that too when the house is in session would be scandalous. Also, applying different yardsticks to different members - Jaya Bachchan & Sonia Gandhi would be nothing short of double standards. It wouldn't have just been an embarassment to the Government, but would have also seriously questioned the integrity of the President, had he given his assent. However, from the Jharkand episode last year, we know to what lengths the current dispensation would go to save their skins.
While all eyes were at the Government, Sonia Gandhi simply resigned her Loksabha membership. What a master stroke that was. Again, in one single stroke she not only saved the Government a severe embarassment, but also robbed the Opposition of their potential weapon. Now, the Congress managers can go round the town with the message about how Sonia 'sacrificed' her MP, which anyway she would have lost. All this make this reader think that she definitely has got some good advisor to consult with. Only that he/she is not being consulted on a regular basis.
P.S: Much need to be told about that particular Act that was used to disqualify Jaya Bachchan. That will be on a different post.
It looks like Sonia Gandhi has got some good advisor to consult with. In 2004, she made an excellent move by renouncing premiership of the country and at one stroke blunted NDA/BJP's foreign origin 'brahmastra'. No one including her own partymen expected this, but that clearly showed that she was ready to play the tough game.
Fast forwarding the scenes to last week, based on a complaint most likely from Congress men, Election Commission recently disqualified Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan (Samajwadi Party) on the grounds that she was holding an Office of Profit. Perhaps, those who originally complained against Jaya didn't actually expect that the same law could backfire at them. NDA - which has been losing strength as well as meaning in the last two years, suddenly found a bright light at the end of the tunnel. It quickly joined hands with Samajwadi Party, sympathised with them over Jaya Bachchan's disqualification and made a complaint against Sonia Gandhi and few others including speaker Somnath Chatterjee over the fact that the same law must be enforced upon them as they were holding office of profit. Things started to become interesting since it involved Sonia Gandhi rather than anyone else. She came under scanner as she is the chairperson of National Advisory Council as well as the Government funded Rajiv Gandhi Foundation.
Initially, the Congress was putting up a brave front. They were pooh poohing Opposition's claim that Sonia Gandhi wouldn't be affected as both the bodies she heads now have nothing to do with Government. But then, all of a sudden, they started to panic. It was very much apparent that they started considering an ordinance, apparently to save Sonia from imminent disqualification. The Indian Express somehow got wind of the idea and put that up in its front page on Wednesday, the 22nd instant. Opposition got a shot in the arm as Rajya Sabha Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekawat spilled the beans in saying that the Government has sent in a request to adjourn the house sine die. Otherwise, he would have adjourned the house until 10th May. The significance of this is that, if the house is adjourned until a certain date, it would be difficult to bring in the ordinance. These developments made NDA to meet President Kalam and requested him not to give his assent to any such ordinance that the Government might bring up. It appeared yesterday that Kalam was getting ready for a litmus test.
Had the Government brought in an ordinance to save Sonia, that would have been the single biggest slap on democracy in the recent times. To bring in an ordinance to save a single person's membership to the house, that too when the house is in session would be scandalous. Also, applying different yardsticks to different members - Jaya Bachchan & Sonia Gandhi would be nothing short of double standards. It wouldn't have just been an embarassment to the Government, but would have also seriously questioned the integrity of the President, had he given his assent. However, from the Jharkand episode last year, we know to what lengths the current dispensation would go to save their skins.
While all eyes were at the Government, Sonia Gandhi simply resigned her Loksabha membership. What a master stroke that was. Again, in one single stroke she not only saved the Government a severe embarassment, but also robbed the Opposition of their potential weapon. Now, the Congress managers can go round the town with the message about how Sonia 'sacrificed' her MP, which anyway she would have lost. All this make this reader think that she definitely has got some good advisor to consult with. Only that he/she is not being consulted on a regular basis.
P.S: Much need to be told about that particular Act that was used to disqualify Jaya Bachchan. That will be on a different post.
posted by Indian Voter at 4:43:00 PM
6 Comments:
nicely written.
Boss: Thanks for the comment on my post. Would appreciate greatly if you could post on the same on your blog as well..
aNTi...
Saint Sonia Gandhi has done it again. Although this stunt can never match the 2004 stunt, she had trumped BJP on this issue. BJP goofed up once again. They will never learn their lessons.
Its a ideal time for Congress chamchas to show their loyalty. One such display of loyalty by TN Congress president
On party president Sonia Gandhi's resignation, Mr. Krishnasswamy said only members of the Nehru family could make such a "sacrifice."
I dont know why you call this as a master stroke. it was just a face saving measure by sonia gandhi. my dear friend she has not resigned from Rajiv gandhi foundation yet. so does she proves any point.
Congress party like her president doesnot remember old indian saying " Jo dusron ke liye Khadda khodta hai woh khud usme girta hai", the one who sets trap for others fall on the same trap. congress fell prey to its own vendetta campaign against jaya bachchan.
As for master stroke, Gandhi family has always won election from bareily but same is not true for the congress party.
I agree with nishant. By using words like Master stroke etc, the media is the one that is painting this face saving move as some brilliant tactic.
If u look at it, it's actually an egg on the face of Congress. I pray for the poor guy in UP who complained about Jaya Bachchan.
Resignation of Sonia is another drama. If she was serious she should not contest again. She like all other politicians are power hungry. Having enjoyed power for years, behind the scene, under the primeministerships of Indiraji and Rajeev Gandhi she cannot live without power. Her declaration that her assets are only a few lakhs and she doesn't even have a car is surprising. Wonder if she had declared her assets including the foreign component correctly.
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