The meltdown of the TMC after its defeat in the West Bengal assembly elections reveals the shortcomings of being merely a leader-centric party. A political party in India has to be ideology-based with a structured cadre down to the grassroots, and must function democratically. It cannot become a proprietorship no matter how much an individual or a family have contributed to its growth. Just imagine what Congress would have been today if Indira Gandhi had handed over the Prime Minister’s post to Jagjivan Ram on being disqualified, instead of imposing the emergency?
Unfortunately, the very narrative developed by politicians and their promoters in the media about their hold on people’s support leads to self-deception. They get caught in a self-perpetuated bubble and end up facing the kind of defeat suffered by the TMC. Subconsciously, they know the reality but, instead of accepting it, project the shortcomings on others, for instance, by accusing the ECI, judiciary, and other institutions of bias. The truth as it has emerged is that none were more eager to get rid of Mamata Banerjee and her nephew than the second rung TMC leaders.
This phenomenon is why people are willing to vote even for a rank newcomer such as film-star Vijay in Tamil Nadu – they are so tired of the entrenched family-based parties that, over time, acquire a stranglehold over power. Not just the DMK or TMC, it has happened in the case of the Shiv Sena as well. The Congress is going the same way, with even longtime supporters pointing out the fatal dependence on the Nehru-Gandhi family.
Political strategy should not just be about waiting for those in power to fail. This develops the tendency to wish for failures to happen that would be harmful to the nation or state. It is a negative approach. Much better to work on promoting a well-worked out and tested ideology that attracts like-minded people to work for the common cause. It helps if there are charismatic leaders who attract votes, but it is ultimately what is delivered that matters, particularly in the long run. For instance, the anti-incumbency against the DMK and traditional politics may have brought the present CM to power, but five years will pass soon and will he have done anything worthwhile? It is probably in expectation of people’s disillusionment that now ex-BJP leader K Annamalai is floating his own party. It will be advisable for him to learn from others’ failures, if he wishes to succeed. Mere opposition will not do.
