The significant developments in Uttar Pradesh have made it evident that dynastic politics at the highest level is perhaps no longer alluring. The infighting in the Samajwadi Party essentially between supporters of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and uncle Shivpal Yadav underlines the phenomenon that the majority are becoming increasingly tired of dynasty driven war games in the political arena. Television channels have reported the unfolding drama blow by blow, while missing out on one basic element regarding Mulayam Singh Yadav’s astute attempt at shielding his son. The general impression given by the media is that Mulayam is with his brother and is therefore siding with the anti Chief Minister forces. However, the fact is that Mulayam, by backing Shivpal in this raging family feud, has prevented both a split in his party as well as has succeeded in protecting Akhilesh from the wrath of some powerful members of his clan.
It is obvious to anyone who has been following the SP showdown that had Mulayam stood by his son, his brother Shivpal, being a nuts and bolts man who controls the organisation, would have split it just ahead of the Assembly polls. It is clear to everyone in the set-up that due to a strong anti incumbency factor prevalent in the state, the 2017 elections are as good as lost. Had Mulayam publicly not favoured his brother over his son, the entire onus of defeat would have been at the Chief Minister’s doorstep. But by being with Shivpal, Mulayam has ensured that following the defeat, his brother as well as his supporters will receive the flak, while Akhilesh’s overall image would remain intact.
In simple and plain words, Akhilesh would survive the rout and thus emerge more powerful in the later elections. Having served as Chief Minister, he would be the natural successor to his father and thus inherit his political legacy. Although it would require a crystal gazer to predict the result in the 2022 UP polls, yet common political sense says that Akhilesh would play a stellar role in the scheme of things and would easily be the front ranking leader of the Samajwadi Party, since the impending defeat in 2017 would have singed Shivpal and his associates very badly.
The bitter squabble, during which the uncle called the sitting UP Chief Minister a liar in full public view, has ensured that the Samajwadi Party would be competing with the Congress for the third and fourth places and would witness the exact opposite of its magnificent victory in 2012. People in the state seem to have made up their mind that SP with its internal contradictions cannot be trusted to be the torchbearer of Uttar Pradesh in the next five years.
The irony is that the SP, which derived its name from the Socialist Party inspired by Dr Ram Manohar Lohia and a host of other stalwarts, has seemingly deviated from its primary principles. Those in the organisation who swear by Dr Lohia would be doing great disservice to the legendary ideologue who would have been most pained and hurt by the goings-on within the socialist fraternity. Firstly, Lohia derived his principles from his strong belief in his ideology that has been put on the back burner by the party, which has reduced itself to being the flag bearer of a single clan. Everyone else is just an appendage.
The socialists have always had a penchant for raking up a row at the most inappropriate time. This is the only one tradition which the party appears to be adhering to. It is said that the socialists need someone to quarrel with. If they are not quarrelling with others, they are busy fighting each other. Secondly, they find it difficult to stay together for three years and subsequently be apart for more than two years.
These cardinal virtues have become a part of Indian political folklore, where the socialists have always succeeded in bringing down their own governments. For instance, Raj Narain was one of Lohia’s three trusted lieutenants, the others being Madhu Limaye and George Fernandes. Raj Narain played a major role in dismantling the Janata Party government when he persisted with the demand of ending dual membership of the party, then held by those who earlier belonged to the Jana Sangh and continued with their affiliation with the RSS despite merging their organisation in the Janata Party. Ironically, it was Raj Narain’s election case against Indira Gandhi which led to her unseating in a historic judgement by Justice Jagmohan Lal Sinha of the Allahabad High Court. The entire anti Indira and anti Congress movement gained momentum after the judgement, leading to the defeat of the Congress in 1977. However, Raj Narain hobnobbed with Sanjay Gandhi, contributing to Indira Gandhi’s return to power in 1980.
Raj Narain was a selfless luminary whose unflinching commitment to the socialist cause would always be remembered. What will continue to pain the followers of Lohia is the manner in which many others like the first family of the Samajwadi Party have let him down. The developments in Uttar Pradesh have shamed the political class of the country and have highlighted the need to return to ideology based politics rather than clan or caste based engagement. The Samajwadis in particular must introspect. Between us.