Outsourcing Governance in Coalition

India has come a long way in coalition politics with first coalition
government of Govind Narayan Singh in UP way back in the sixties. Since
then every combination of political partners have tried their own ways of
governance in the states as well as at the Centre based on common minimum
agenda which, in a way, always meant “Least Feasible Performance”. Even
this was seldom delivered as per their announced plan. The casualty was
development and governance on the altar of political convenience and
sustenance of the power. Non-stop divisions and break ups, ideological
segmentations, Mandalization and leadership of fragmented groups ensured
the current reality wherein it is very difficult for any political party to form a
government on its own strengths in the states as well as at the Centre. The
importance of smaller partners in the government increased and they
developed the clout to outweigh the larger partners’ programs and ideology
thus hijacking the mandate of the people who voted them into power.

Though good forty years have passed since first coalition government, the
political parties and the system have failed to evolve a sustainable and
efficient model which could factor the mandate of people and weightage for
the people’s representation in terms of number of seats with stability and
performance as the key deliverables.

2010 has been a watershed year in terms of the governance or rather lack of
it at the Centre with UPA II government at the helm. The coalition partners
of UPA I namely the Left parties had become strange bedfellows and
behaved like internal opposition party within the coalition government.
JMM in UPA I controlled mining just like Reddy brothers are doing in
Karnataka state government. In UPA II Trinamool (read Railway Ministry)
is virtually operating from Kolkata and not New Delhi. Telecom Ministry
was virtually the bastion of DMK operating out of Chennai till Kapil Sibal
took over from A.Raja.

Food & Agriculture became the strong hold of NCP and the key issue of
food inflation was completely neglected. The policies ensured speculation,
hoarding and massive profiteering by the traders of commodities like onion,
sugar, pulses and vegetables. It was left to NCP to carry on what ever they
wished to do, with central leadership as mute spectators. Actions were taken
after hidden agenda was achieved and that also too little and too late. Lavasa
project is just tip of the iceberg and shows contempt for rules and
regulations with political patronage.

Airlines increased the airfares at will forming a cartel and fleecing the
travelers though the NCP Minister’s actions later brought down prices. It
was again a knee jerk reaction and not due to policy guidelines or regulatory
system to achieve balanced approach.

If we look at the system of governance dispassionately, it would seem as if

the governance is outsourced to the political partners like DMK, NCP, and
Trinamool with a “off limits” barriers for the bigger partner. If the Prime
Minister’s ability to intervene was not restricted by the coalition partners,
the scams like 2G would have been avoided. Today, the Prime Minister is
forced to offer to appear before Public Accounts Committee merely to get a
clean chit personally for himself but in doing so the august office of the
Prime Minister is belittled significantly. It shows that the Prime Minister
does not exert the supreme authority vested in the office. While Dr. Man
Mohan Singh may be clean, the Prime Minister of the day may be perceived
and accused by the historians for dereliction of his duties. Writing a letter to
Minister of Telecom giving advice does not absolve the Prime Minister of
inadequate action, as if the buck did not stop on his desk.

The governance can not be outsourced without compliance with contractual

obligations and related terms and conditions. If Trinamool, DMK or NCP
failed to comply, it is duty of the contract issuing authority to revoke the
contract. And that is where the abdication of the responsibility lies. It is sad
that a tall figure like Dr. Man Mohan Singh with clean record has to stand in
front of the Public Accounts Committee. It would be better if the political
accountability is owned by the real custodian of the power of the office of
the prime minister, which currently rests at 10, Janpath.

It is time to address the issues of governance in coalition governments with

roles & responsibilities of the partners and political accountability keeping
voter’s mandate on top of the agenda. A code of political conduct in
governance backed up by legal safeguards may be the need of the hour. Of
course no amount of rules and regulations can suffice if intentions are to bye
pass them at any cost.
Vijay M. Deshpande
Corporate Advisor,
Strategic Management Initiative
Pune 411021

December 27, 2010

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