ULTA-PULTA
Dubious alliances
Jaspal Bhatti

SOME of the politicians today are a worried lot. They are in a predicament wondering whether they should enter into an alliance with a party they have been criticising for weeks, months, years and even decades. Such weak-minded politicians certainly read psychological hlep. They should not feel ashamed or dejected. You need to have a clear goal — the goal to attain and share power. Do not let ideas like ideology, sincerity and commitment occupy and trouble your mind.

Take inspiration from the NCP leader Sharad Pawar who once parted ways with Sonia Gandhi on the issue of her foreign origins and has now suddenly developed interest for all Italian things. He probably invited Soniaji to his drawing room which was laid out in Italian marble and even offered Italian pizza with tea to show his keen interest in their reunion or alliance. The BJP is keenly trying to woo Kalyan Singh whom they had unceremoniously ousted from the party. The Congress is ready to enter into an alliance with the DMK, MDMR on PMK whom they had criticised for conspiring in Rajiv Gandhi’s murder. The BJP is sending feelers to the same Jayalalithaa who after the 1998 elections had pulled the carpet from under the NDA’s feet by withdrawing her support.

The golden rule is: alliance between any two or more parties by virtue of attraction, repulsion or compulsion is ethical and considered pious. There is no term like ‘unethical alliance’ in Indian politics. If in the morning press conference politician abuse each other, in the evening conference they have all the right to declare that they have a common goal.

A voter once asked a minister, "Mantriji we had voted for you to oppose the BJP. Why did you join the NDA govt. and defeat our purpose? The Minister reptred", don’t worry. As a Minister whatever decision I took, it gave a bad name to their party."

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