N Jayaprakash Narayan resigned from the IAS, set up an NGO, thought politics is better and subsequently set up a political party, Loksatta. Through out this post-IAS career path, he wrote extensively, appeared at various meetings and participated in television debates. His message revolved around changing the game and the rules of the game, whatever that meant. He can never complain that he was not heard enough. Yet, he did not get what he wanted to – to run the state government.
However, this year seems to have brought a change in him. Until now, under him, Loksatta Party (LSP) had ploughed a lone furrow. Now he has decided to enter into an alliance with CPI and other like-minded parties. Before, at the LSP annual convention, he announced his intention to move to national politics. I think his attempt to raise farmers issues led him to interactions at the field level, and he ‘caught’ the real pulse of what politics is. He probably decided he is not made fur such ‘pressures’. Two, the overwhelming response Anna Hazare got on the corruption issue.
It would be interesting to see what kind of alliance would be formed between JP Narayan of LSP and K Narayana of CPI. It would be interesting to see who compromised how much on what, to make this alliance happen. They are a world apart. Many examples can be cited here: K. Narayana strongly advocates electricity subsidies, while JP does not believe in subsidies. Secondly, CPI does not think anti-corruption can be top-on-the-pile agenda, while LSP has a different take on it. CPI supports statehood for Telangana, while LSP is against bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. Then, what made LSP select CPI as its partner? Would this alliance be on policies, or strategies, or just electoral adjustments? It could be a historical mistake for LSP. Until now, LSP was able to hold on to its clean image, even though electorally it did not benefit from it. However, with this and any other alliance, this ‘fig leaf’ is gone. Then, LSP needs to work harder to convince the voters that it is not the ‘run-of-the-mill’ political party.
The choice of alliance partner – CPI, and not CPI(M), can also be suicidal. CPI, unlike its Marxist version, seems to have decided that ‘anything is good, if you can win the elections’, is also looking eagerly at TDP and TRS. Are we looking at a grand alliance of LSP, CPI, TDP and TRS? If so, the stakes for LSP are very high.
I feel this is a ‘do or die’ plunge for LSP. Recently, looking dour, the supremo threatened to close down LSP if people do not want it. He seems to have hit several roadblocks, giving credence to the theories such as there could be internal leadership crisis, and LSP survived only because of support from YSR. It may be too early to write LSP’s epitaph but definitely we can assume the death of his principal message of changing the political game and the rules of political game.
While this change is no threat to the ‘employment’ of N. Jayaprakash Narayan, since the ‘reform’ crowd at the national level would be eager to utilise his services, we need to be worried about followers of LSP, who sincerely believed that LSP can be a harbinger of change – a la Chiranjeevi.
Surya Kiran
Jayaprakash Narayan is one of the Most Talented and Intelligent politician we have. it’s just matter of time that people with start catching upto him. This is for the lok Satta party survival scenario for now and they will have to form an alliance with some party. but it is a known fact that political awareness is building up and more and more people are vying for LokSatta , things tend to move slowly in INDIA and people take long time to take a good decision but sooner or later Lok Satta party will be the chosen one if voters want good and fair governance.
Narasimha Reddy Donthi
@Arvind. Glad to see your response. However, your choice of certain words do not facilitate an atmosphere of discussion. Nevertheless, you seem to have bypassed the main issue here: what made LSP, or exactly N. Jayaprakash Narayan, to seek alliance with CPI? Secondly, your claim that it is only to work on ‘issues they agree on and not an electoral alliance’ is much more surprising. I do not know who you are – a party supporter or spokesperson. If this is true, I do not know how the word alliance came out. We can continue to debate the semantics here, but the message to the larger public is that LSP is in alliance with CPI. LSP would really, and continuously, need to explain what is this alliance for and what it means.
You are certifying that CPI is not corrupt, even though they allied with a few corrupt parties before. I am not sure if such a sweeping certification is shared by NJN or the LSP in general.
But, all these are all aspects that can be discussed. Importantly, until now, politics of CPI and NJN are completely different. NJN has never professed his love of ‘communist’ solutions, such as FDI in retail. CPI has vehemently opposed it, while NJN is a rigorous supporter. NJN believes in economic reforms, while CPI has a different take. How are these different positions ‘adjusted’ in this alliance? Who negotiated how much? Who compromised how much?
None of the press releases states this, nor the media, who see NJN, as their ‘darling’ have focussed on this. Television latched onto the differences between CPI and CPIM, but failed to debate this alliance between extreme right and left parties.
Maybe, you could tell us, apart from proportional representation, what other issues they congruence were ‘invented’ between these parties. I am stressing on ‘invented’ because CPI existed even before LSP came into existence. NJN has been a major political commentator even before that. I do not know how he missed this ‘good characteristics’ of CPI before.
Summarily, there are many gaps in this alliance which need to be explained by NJN. Otherwise, LSP would lose its ‘brand’ image.
Aravind
Thanks for the response. You say that LSP is in alliance with CPI. There is no alliance as of now. You can watch the following video:
It clearly mentions that they are going to work together to fight on corruption, proportional representation and decentralization. They also add that it is NOT electoral alliance and they are not even considering it now. If you can present some other evidence, I will change my opinion.
Sir, I am not certifying them. There is perception and correctly so that CPI/CPM are not corrupt nor have they amassed wealth that TDP/Cong/YSRCP symbolize. They have not been involved in scams and they do not lure voters with money and liquor. Do you dispute that?
Yes, everyone knows that there are differences between Loksatta and left parties. There are some issues mentioned in the video above that shows common ground where they can work together and there are some issues like economic reforms where they will not work together. When these parties are NOT even talking about alliance yet, why make statements like who is compromising or who is negotiating. Also, CPI is supporting TRS and TDP in these by-elections. Now, what alliance are you referring to?
In democracy, parties have to work with other parties when it serves the interests of the people. An alliance did not exist before is not the reason not to have it in future. These parties may discuss electoral alliance in future if all the parties see it as a possibility. But, until the time comes, it would be preposterous to raise the talk of compromise or survival.
Aravind
The writer of this piece either did not follow the happenings in the Loksatta party over past few months or intentionally misleading readers with flawed analysis. If a casual observer reads the press briefings from Loksatta party spokesmen or watches the videos, they will do a much better job reporting facts and arriving at right conclusions based on the facts.
“His message revolved around changing the game and the rules of the game, whatever that meant.”
Is it not clear what he means? Traditional parties have ignored health, education, corruption and governance as they are busy earning money and recycling them into elections to earn more. They are using money, liquor and muscle power to win elections. They are having policies on liquor that perpetuates poverty and dependency on government while using the liquor auctions as source of revenue to deliver welfare schemes that are unsustainable. Is it tough to understand that we need different politics with different players as current players cannot be trusted to change their game?
“I think his attempt to raise farmers issues led him to interactions at the field level, and he ‘caught’ the real pulse of what politics is. He probably decided he is not made fur such ‘pressures’. Two, the overwhelming response Anna Hazare got on the corruption issue.”
JP has been touring the state for more than two years, meeting farmers, interacting with them on the field. He also formed a Swatantra Raitula Samkhya uniting farmers of all regions. Unless you want to ignore more than 100 meetings in the districts seeking specific solutions, it would not really seem ‘enlightening’ to feel that ‘he is not made for such pressure’. If more than 2 years of fighting for farmers rights and solutions on the ground does not indicate he wants to fight, what would make you think that he is not ‘made for such pressures’?
What about the Anna issue? Anna movement was apolitical and his views and JP’s views were also considered for Lokpal. In fact, JP campaigned in the state and at national level for strong Lokayukta and district ombudsman. Both have their own agenda and means, why would one step into another?
“It would be interesting to see what kind of alliance would be formed between JP Narayan of LSP and K Narayana of CPI. It would be interesting to see who compromised how much on what, to make this alliance happen. They are a world apart.”
If one reads the press releases and videos of JP’s meeting with Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy of CPI, he/she will understand the process quite easily. On the issues of decentralization, electoral reforms (proportional representation), both the parties have same stand. They said they will fight together on the issues they agree and electoral alliance is NOT something they are deciding now. Like Loksatta, they do not use money and liquor to win elections and are not corrupt. These are the common grounds for these parties to work together.
“Secondly, CPI does not think anti-corruption can be top-on-the-pile agenda, while LSP has a different take on it.”
Seriously, is this a strong difference between these two parties? The Communists may have compromised with corrupt parties for few seats, but that does not mean both parties differ on corruption as an important issue.
“CPI supports statehood for Telangana, while LSP is against bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.”
This is fabricated lie. Please show your readers some proof which Loksatta is against bifurcation. Loksatta always said Telangana is not life/death issue nor cure of all problems. Loksatta stand is clear and repeated several times: In democracy, parties should respect public sentiment despite what the facts convey and hence, party will support Telangana that is formed through a process that addresses concerns on both sides. If it is such a big issue for CPI, why would it support TDP in Andhra region for current by-elections?
“He seems to have hit several roadblocks, giving credence to the theories such as there could be internal leadership crisis, and LSP survived only because of support from YSR.”
Please provide proofs of the roadblocks and internal leadership crisis. I am not sure if you even understand how the party operates. In the absence of specifics that support your claim of ‘roadblocks and crisis’, you give credibility to a bankrupt and hollow theory of support from YSR. I am not sure if you are doing the bidding for TDP here but ANY sane mind would not lend any credence to such ‘theories’.
” It may be too early to write LSP’s epitaph but definitely we can assume the death of his principal message of changing the political game and the rules of political game. While this change is no threat to the ‘employment’ of N. Jayaprakash Narayan, since the ‘reform’ crowd at the national level would be eager to utilise his services, we need to be worried about followers of LSP, who sincerely believed that LSP can be a harbinger of change – a la Chiranjeevi.”
Thanks for looking out for followers of LSP but no thanks. The party and followers still believe in the agenda and it is more than one individual. You somehow seem to think Loksatta alliance with CPI/CPM will kill the message of ‘changing the rules but not the players’. You take a leap of faith to make an argument of ‘alliance between Loksatta and CPI/CPM’ when none exists and then extend it to make a bunkum argument that party will die and its message will die because of it.