Good, can be better

 

 

It is widely believed that the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) is the Achilles heel of coalition politics. Every Prime Minster from Morarji Desai to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, kept haggling over the CMP, but failed to implement it in its original form. Manmohan Singh is no different. Torn between the aspirations of the coalition partners and the compulsion of being the largest single party and senior coalition partner, Manmohan Singh has failed miserably to implement the promises made in the CMP during his tenure.

The UPA has given preference to the agriculture sector in its CMP, but what we got was the rising number of suicides by the farmers in the home turf of the Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar. Whilst the Union Finance Minister (FM) was going gaga about a growth rate of 9%, the coalition partners were hell bent on the FM proffering an explanation as to why farmers were not getting the proper price for their products. From beefing up internal security to curbing sectarian strife, the implementation of CMP has fallen flat on all fronts. At least three dozen incidents of sectarian strife were reported from the country in the last three years. As if that was not enough, the prices of commodities skyrocketed beyond the reach of the commonman. Even the much hyped bill for reservation of seats for women in the parliament was sacrificed on the altar of coalition Dharma.

A. B. Bardhan, the CPI General Secretary, states that the economic management of the UPA has become the victim of mismanagement. He adds further that this is precisely why he has cautioned the government on the possible withdrawal of support. Pranab Mukherjee, a senior member of the cabinet, told TSI that the benefits of the initiatives of the UPA have percolated to the lowest strata of society. It shall certainly help change the face of India, he said. On the other hand, the Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, said to TSI that the positive results of the Minimum Employment Guarantee Scheme can evidently be garnered.

It is bizarre that the failed promises have failed to affect the popularity of Manmohan Singh. The results of the combined survey by TSI and ICMR suggest that as many as 58% of the respondents agree that Manmohan Singh is a tough administrator and shall complete his term as Prime Minister. Whereas at least 16% of the respondents believe that though Manmohan Singh is a tough administrator, he will not complete his term. On the other hand, 29% of the respondents believe that he is a weak administrator, but will complete his term.