14 days later

The Congress shed two decades of ambivalence about pre-election announcements of prime ministerial candidates by boldly saying well in advance of the 2009 campaign that the post would be Manmohan Singhs. With the mandate the UPA secured for a strongly Congress-led government with little need to court new,and even some old,allies,the underlying expectations were of continuity and stability. But by a series of over-drawn-out political negotiations,Dr Singhs council of ministers is now,two weeks after the results poured in,showing very little sign of stabilising. The crassly numerical bargaining that the DMK inflicted and was allowed to inflict on the prime minister,dragged ministry formation beyond a timeframe conducive to continuity. But it is the flux created by intra-Congress jostling that should nudge the prime minister and his party to take stock of the political costs of the past two weeks and where this leaves their ambitious call for a 100-day programme when the first dozen have been squandered in personnel matters.

For all of Sunday,New Delhi was abuzz with stories of Meira Kumars meeting with the Congress president. Her candidature was up for the Lok Sabha speakers post,and the choice may even be an inspired one. But it reflects a lack of clarity on government formation,because Kumar too was,late last week,sworn in as a Union minister and thereupon allotted the water resources portfolio. Photographs of her assuming charge of that office were widely disseminated. The weekend was also livened up by reports that Srikant Jena had refused to accept the rank of minister of state,never mind that he had been sworn in thus on Thursday. Rumours were predictably cited that hed be appropriately promoted,perhaps by being given independent charge. If Jena is allowed to get away with his tantrums,the audacity would be a comment on Dr Singhs council.

Government formation cannot be an apolitical exercise. But neither can government formation be solely dictated by political compulsions,whether they be the allies or the Congresss. Therefore,the crises which showed up in the delay on portfolio allocation must carry a cautionary message. There are huge costs of allowing political confusion to be reflected in governance. And of allowing an impression to grow that the party is running the prime minister and his ministry.