| Are we going back to the days of princely | | | | Pradesh is also gaining momentum and TRS |
| states? Posing this question to myself most | | | | (Telangana Rashtra Samiti) under the leadership of |
| often, is similar to finding pleasure in fooling | | | | K.Chandra Shekhar Rao is actively campaigning for |
| myself. Because this curse is a perennial one and | | | | a separate home-land with the support and |
| its genesis dates back to decades. | | | | blessings of other parties. If that part of the |
| | | | | State was properly cared and protected by those |
| Regional chauvinism has much to do with | | | | responsible, the demand for separate Telangana |
| mushrooming of political parties across our nation. | | | | would not have arisen. Andhra Pradesh’s |
| The intention of most of the leaders being to | | | | movie idol and dancing hero, Chiranjeevee has also |
| score over their opponents by snatching | | | | jumped into the political arena with the formation |
| one-upmanship by grabbing ministerial power at | | | | of Praja Raajyam Party. |
| the centre or by bargaining with the national | | | | |
| alliance or party with the capacity to stake claim | | | | The Andhra developments are a definite pointer |
| to form a government at the centre. Nowadays | | | | to the gaining strength of regional parties and the |
| national parties, both Congress and BJP are more | | | | tendency is not to the good of national ethos. |
| than willing to accommodate any splinter party by | | | | |
| pandering to their interests in the event of | | | | Bihar, has already joined the bandwagon of |
| forming a government at the centre. They are | | | | regional politics. Lalus and Paswans though claiming |
| very well aware the days of one party rule is a | | | | to be national have already ensured their places in |
| thing of the past. And in politics, democratic | | | | the land of Buddha, reducing the once- dominant |
| principles, traditions and ethics- all prove to be of | | | | Party- Indian National Congress in to a virtual |
| not much value or importance and they are kept | | | | non-entity. The election scenario this time amply |
| in the black-burner needed only on the occasions | | | | shows the place of the Grand Old Party in Bihar |
| of celebrating Independence days, Republic days | | | | politics. Communist Party of India (CPI) and |
| or on such days of national importance. Erosion of | | | | Communist Party of India (Marxist), once held |
| values, thinking on caste lines while choosing | | | | some sway in the political heartland of Bihar. They |
| candidates for each constituency, even by the | | | | are also out of the picture today. Party leaders |
| left parties, only criteria being winnability, more | | | | think along caste lines and they be it Lalu, Paswan |
| than efficiency and the selection of candidates | | | | or Nititsh spare no efforts in wooing the |
| with criminal antecedents, play dirty and despicable | | | | communities like Muslims, Kurmis and Yadavs with |
| roles in Indian politics. | | | | promises and assurances in abundance. This State |
| | | | | has also fallen a prey to regional chauvinism. |
| Take for instance Tamil Nadu. Once Indian National | | | | |
| Congress was ruling roost in that State. Those | | | | Orissa, once a strong-hold of Congress , is now in |
| were the days of one party rule. Today’s | | | | the hands a regional Party BJD (Biju Janata Dal) |
| two prominent regional parties, DMK and AIADMK | | | | led by Naveen Patnaik, the son of Biju Patnaik, |
| where once nowhere near that National Party. | | | | erstwhile Congress leader. |
| Later parochialism reared its ugly head and with | | | | |
| the rise of parochialism the birth of regional | | | | UP (Uttar Pradesh), with 80 Loksabha seats, |
| parties abound such as DMK, AIADMK, MDMK, | | | | under Mayawati of BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party), |
| PMK so on and on and on. The numbers are | | | | formed in the interests of Dalits, targeting Dalit |
| innumerable, on each alternate election, either | | | | vote banks by late Kanshi Ram and now led by |
| DMK and its allies or AIADMK and its allies reach | | | | ambitious leader Mayawati, aspiring to be a |
| at the helm of affairs or the governance | | | | national party by joining hands with Brahmins and |
| alternates between these two regional parties. | | | | extending benefits to them along with poor |
| Reason behind the rise of parochialism must have | | | | dalits by propounding a new theory called social |
| a lot to do with the policy of neglect adopted by | | | | engineering is also not free from regional |
| the sole ruling party- the Indian National Congress- | | | | chauvinism. SP (Samajwadi Party) led by Mulayam |
| those were the glorious days of Indian National | | | | Singh Yadav- he was once our defence minister- |
| Congress while in power spanning decades. | | | | is engaged in a bitter fight with Mayawati. Former |
| Fissiparous tendencies developed among the | | | | UP Chief Minister and expelled BJP leader Kalyan |
| masses and their national outlook was at stake. | | | | Singh is now very much with Mulayam Singh. |
| Still claiming to be of national outlook though the | | | | “Maulana Mulayam”, once affectionately |
| fact of the matter is just contrary. The other | | | | called by the Muslims of UP found himself in the |
| day’s incident at Coimbatore was just one | | | | ditch with the deserting of a big chunk of Muslims |
| example. Army trucks coming from Hyderabad | | | | to Mayawati. By keeping away from all his |
| were vandalized by the followers of a regional | | | | engagements in other States Mulayam has |
| party named PDK (Periyar Dravida Kazhagam) | | | | confined himself to UP to garner maximum |
| shouting slogans against the Government of India | | | | number of seats thus proving his mettle to |
| and Sri Lanka, thus expressing solidarity with | | | | principal opponent Kumari Mayawati. On scrutinizing |
| hapless Tamilians stranded in Sri Lanka. More than | | | | the trends in UP, it is very easy to note here the |
| half a dozen trucks were set ablaze. | | | | State which provides maximum number of seats |
| | | | | has also gone the way of caste politics. Congress |
| Similarly, joining power at the centre with any | | | | which ruled over the State for decades and BJP |
| party leading government at the centre, either | | | | (Bharathiya Janata Party) play only peripheral roles |
| one of the alliances will certainly be there, the | | | | in the key State of UP. |
| ministers take extra care to arrange funds for | | | | |
| the development of their State, in the process | | | | On going through any State, it is not that much |
| neglecting many others. The one heading the | | | | difficult to come to the sad truth that regional |
| ministry has no other way out except remaining a | | | | chauvinism and castes play crucial roles in 15th |
| mute spectator. Arm-twisting after all is a painful | | | | Loksabha elections of India. |
| thing (Comrade A B Bardhan, leader of CPI | | | | |
| (Communist Party of India) on the occasion of an | | | | Be it Bengal, Kerala, Maharashtra casteism and |
| interview with a correspondent of a prominent | | | | ‘sons of the soil policy holders’ gain much |
| national daily was found justifying the growth of | | | | clout among the masses. |
| regional parties across the nation with the | | | | |
| argument that regional parties can contribute | | | | We have no dearth of parties. What we are |
| much to the growth of their respective states. | | | | urgently in need of is somebody who could play |
| Comrade Bardhan seems to forget a sad truth | | | | positive roles in the overall development of nation |
| that with the mushrooming of regional parties in | | | | as a whole. Better infrastructure facilities like |
| every state, it was always the national parties | | | | roads, electricity, irrigation facilities, elementary |
| which were the ultimate losers and as a good | | | | education, health-care to all providing nutritious |
| example I would like to point out the state of | | | | food to the children, women and those below |
| Bihar where once the CPI (Communist Party of | | | | poverty line, women empowerment, employment |
| India) could maintain a formidable clout in Bihar | | | | and most of such facilities. |
| politics. Then Lalu or Paswan were only fringe | | | | |
| elements, both of them even unheard of among | | | | Parties multiplying on a daily basis. Even on |
| the masses and in the present situation CPI has | | | | ideological lines. But the lot of the masses remain |
| become a fringe element.) | | | | same. At least those who split on ideological lines |
| | | | | and form new ones are bound to ponder over it |
| In Andhra Pradesh, TDP’s (Telugu Desom | | | | and arrive at a solution. |
| Party) rise is attributed to the cavalier manner the | | | | |
| State was treated by the centre. N.T.Rama Rao, | | | | Parochialism and mushrooming parties never help |
| film-star turned politician took up cudgels against | | | | in contributing to the development and prosperity |
| the centre, formed a party for the Telugus | | | | of the nation- for that matter any nation. |
| named TDP and attained power soonafter. | | | | |
| Though Congress is ruling the State now, TDP is | | | | Those who had monopoly on power for decades |
| a vulnerable one to reckon with. The demand for | | | | must make amends for it. |
| Telangana State to be carved out of Andhra | | | | |