The hundred days have gone and are forgotten. But the government has to have an agenda for five years or 1,826 days. Of course, its present preoccupation is not with the distant future but with the next election. Given the absurd way in which the Westminster system has developed in India, there is always an election around the corner. It is in this climate that every union government begins to think in terms of the next election and employs its gimmicks. It is Maharashtra and Haryana now. Then we will need to start thinking about Bihar in 2011 and UP in 2012. By then there will be a scramble for the 2014 Big Match.

It would be futile to say that elections ought to be harmonised. It won’t happen without a major Constitutional reform and that is not on the cards. But what UPA-II can do is get its long run strategic thinking better organised. At present, as far I can see, the Prime Minister is tossing out ideas which represent his long run concerns but there has been little systematic follow up. He highlighted the problem of judicial delay, which can be tackled if someone can think innovatively. The challenge of Naxalites is also something which cannot be met by firefighting. It is entangled with the issue of land rights of the tribals and the failure so far to integrate these tribal areas into the democratic structures. After all why are there not many tribal parties if there are caste parties galore? Land rights are also urgently in need of reform for economic development of the rest of India but the cabinet seems to be running scared of Mamata Banerjee. Given its 200-plus seats, what is the Congress afraid of?

... contd.