by Lynn Ockersz

In another reminder of the resiliency and staying power of coalition politics in India, the ruling National Democratic Alliance headed by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has survived a governmental crisis spurred by corruption allegations and charges of fraudulent money dealings.

The 24-party National Democratic Alliance was forced to close ranks and unite behind Vajpayee when the latter offered to resign over a financial scandal linked to the state-run Unit Trust Fund. Charges of embezzlement were levelled against officials of the Prime Ministers office by some NDA parties themselves when the Fund froze redemptions in its US-64 Fund and threw its estimated 20 million investors into a panic.

Rumblings 

Prime Minister Vajpayee put an end to the intra-coalition rumblings by offering to resign and pledging to hold a probe on the alleged connections between officials in his office and the troubled Unit Trust Fund. The last party to pledge loyalty to the Government was the Bombay based Shiv Sena Party headed by fire-brand Hindu hardliner Bal Thackeray. "I respect Vajpayee like anything ... Our support is there with the government. It has always been there and it is going to continue," Thackeray was quoted saying. This was followed by a NDA statement which pledged its "unqualified faith and trust" in Vajpayee's leadership.

Thus have the expectations of a collapse of the governing coalition been decisively defeated. The NDA remains intact and stable propped-up considerably by Vajpayee's reputation as a leader of integrity.

As we have commented before, this sensitivity of Indian society to "corruption in high places," is a markedly positive feature of Indian democracy. To be sure, India too is living through heady days of economic liberalization and global economic integration, but there seems to be a proportional increase in the Indian public's concern for clean governance. The Indian party seems to be jealously guarding its tradition of keeping in power only leaders of proven honesty. It should be recalled that the same body politic put behind bars a former Indian Premier who was found guilty of corruption and financial irregularities. In this regard, Indian democracy is exemplary.

Sensitivity

As marked as this sensitivity to the integrity and good reputation of political leadership is the survival of coalition politics in India. There were some major reverses for the governing coalition in the recent state elections, but sufficient proof was not forthcoming that the Congress Party was back in contention as the single most powerful political party. Confident predictions could have been made on this score if the Congress scored its electoral successes on its own strength. This was not always the case and this proves that it is yet to regain its stature as India's single most powerful party.

It shouldn't come as a surprise if the years ahead should see in South Asia, the steady decline in power and stature of monolithic, single political parties which have enjoyed governance. The People's Alliance, for instance, has been in power since 1994 in Sri Lanka, despite being projected as weak and disunited. There is no possibility of the NDA being shaken from power before its term ends.

A noteworthy feature of Indian democracy is the commitment on the party of its political actors to keep the political system going. This ensures the endurance of political democracy in India.

Ethnicity

To be sure, ethnicity is a factor to contend with in the Indian political scene. But Indian democracy is flexible and resilient enough to absorb these political forces which mobilize support on an ethnic and communal platform. Ethnicity per se is not destructive. It turns violent and destructive only when it is denied entry to the democratic political stage. This is where Indian democracy scores over similar political systems in the region.

The economic reforms in India have brought more and more sections of society into the political system through the triggering of a struggle for economic and social rights. Economic and social rights could be secured through political empowerment and this draws more and more peripheral and ethnic parties into the democratic process.

Self-assertion and the drive for autonomy is so great among these political paries that they would prefer to function within a coalition rather than throw in their lot with a large monolith, such as the Congress Party, where they would probably remain anonymous and voiceless. Coalition governance, therefore, is a measure of a democracy's vibrancy.

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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