The sordid drama, which unfolded in UP last week, for over 100 hours, has
developed serious cracks in the foundation of Samajwadi Party. In the coming
days, these cracks are likely to weaken the strong edifice, so carefully built
by the patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav for the last 24 years.
It is unfortunate and a bit ironical that all the key stakeholders in
Samajwadi Party have made wrong moves and even blunders in the time of grave
crisis. Is this because their personal political ambitions have overshadowed
their collective responsibility towards the party?
Let us analyze the wrong moves by the three key stakeholders of this
thriller drama:
Mulayam Singh Yadav:
As is emerging now, his constant reprimanding of his son in public forums
for the last few months has become a handy tool now for all the opposition
parties. They are freely quoting his statements in their public rallies, which
is causing a deep embarrassment in the rank and file of the Samajwadi Party.
However, all his such utterances looked like benign praise when he burst out
against his son after achieving a (temporary) truce between his brother and son
last week. He said in no uncertain terms that Akhilesh is an incapable and
undeserving CM, who had spoilt his (Mulayam’s) chances of becoming a PM in 2014.
This statement from a 76-year-old founder of a party displays that his love for
his unfulfilled personal ambitions is far higher than his love for his son. He
did not even think for a minute the impact, which his statement was going to
make on his son’s profile as CM of the largest state of India. He is definitely
not naïve to assume that his son would take such scathing remarks lying low. However,
what is surprising is that he is willing to take the risk of his son’s revolt.
This is where his judgement could be erroneous. Given all the plus and minuses
of Akhilesh in running the government for last 4 years, one thing is clear that
his style of politics is diametrically opposite to that of his father and
uncles. He talks about technology and believes in true development. He connects
with the educated youth far better than the elder generation of Yadav clan. His
dissidence could prove costly to the party and the family.
Shivpal Yadav:
The best way to describe Shivpal’s behavior during the entire drama is to
compare him with the sullen mother of a groom demanding more dowry during a
marriage. She demands full attention from everyone around and doesn’t budge
from her demands. And she achieves it all finally. However, in the process, she
loses the goodwill of everyone around.
Same is the case of Shivpal Yadav. He has contributed immensely in
building the party along with Mulayam and obviously deserves significant share
of power. However, he probably overstepped into Akhilesh’s well-defined territory
far too often, resulting in him crying foul. His best option would have been to
resolve all the differences with Akhilesh behind the closed doors. They could
have involved Mulayam well in advance and not wait for the media to serve the
orgy to its savoring viewers. That would have protected the dignity and
strength of Samajwadi Party as well as the Yadav family. However, he chose to
wash the dirty linen in public and the entire episode exploded into an
unstoppable fire. So, even though the fire is doused for now, the damage is
already done.
Akhilesh Yadav:
He has been made to eat the humble pie by his father and uncle. However,
they conveniently forgot that he is also one among them, and has run the
government for full four years. He is not new to the game of politics. He has
many more promising years ahead of him unlike the elders in the family, who can
remain politically active for just one more term or two. Displaying courage and
magnanimity, he opted to blink first and get whacked royally in full public
view, just to protect the honor and dignity of his family and his party. If, in
the entire episode, there was one act of showing generosity of reconciliation,
it was by Akhilesh in reversing all his demands and orders.
However, shrewd people see
this sacrifice as an act of dousing the fire only. Before the smoke withers
away, he shall be in sitting in his drawing room, sharpening his claws, licking
his wounds and making much bigger plans for himself. He would not have the
patience to wait endlessly for his elder generation to retire. He will come
back with a vengeance at his uncle. He would not care much about his father,
because he has already sort of ‘disowned’ him by ridiculing him in public and
questioning his abilities. And this time when Akhilesh strikes back, he would
leave no scope for any reconciliation. It would be a final goodbye to the
current set-up. The most obvious thing would be to make Mulayam and Shivpal the
Advani and Murali Manohar Joshi of Samajwadi Party.
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