Anil Anand

Politics is the cornerstone and Congress the prime target of it, seems to be the underlying principle behind any policy-decision or otherwise, taken by the Central dispensation. And central to this exercise, surprisingly, remains to be aping the models followed by the Congress governments decades ago.

Acting out-of-the-box and springing surprises has also been the highlight of the Narendra Modi government. It has been, over the decade, reflected in government policy framing and political decision making which at times paid dividends by catching the political rivals off-guard, and at times baffling consequences.

So, when the Centre suddenly took a decision to send seven all-party delegations to different countries to explain India’s position in the aftermath of brief Indo-Pak encounters across the International Border and the Line of Control, it did come with its share of surprise.

The move surprised all as it came in the midst of a triumphant mood as, many felt, there was no need to explain India’s position worldwide after having ended on a high-note.

It reminded the old-timers of the similar blitzkrieg undertaken by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during the 1971 Indo-Pak conflict. The difference was that she undertook the exercise to build a world-opinion in view of the disturbing developments in the then East Pakistan (present Bangladesh) before launching an attack. Circa-2025, the exercise took place after the ceasefire. That is perplexing as there was no need to explain cause of a victory.

Was focus of the all-party delegations to conjure up Congress-centric drill? Did it add a strong avoidable element of politics?

No doubt the exercise had a Congress flavour which ultimately dominated the overall national discourse which the delegations were tasked to explain world-over. But it remains a fact that it had the Hyderabadi slice in the form of controversial All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief, Asaduddi Owaisi, the now near defunct Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) founder Ghulam Nabi Azad and the battery of his rebel-colleagues in the long buried G23 breakaway group of Congress.

Of course, Supriya Sule of the NCP (Sharad Chandra Pawar) as chairperson of one of the delegations, coming in the midst of talk of NCP factions’ unity effort and her possible elevation as Union Minister.

And last but not the least the Trinamool Congress angle from West Bengal with the selection of its nominee without the consent of the party supremo Mamta Banerjee. Surprisingly, this controversy was resolved by the Centre without creating any fuss unlike the Congress embroil which was “deliberately” fanned by the strategists behind the all-party diplomacy format.

A cursory look at the composition of the seven all party delegations, squarely from the Congress point of view, immediately brought back the memories of Azad-headed Group of 23 (G23) rebel leaders which had come into existence after he was denied another term in Rajya Sabha.

It is another matter that the head of G23 who has since floated a region party DPAP, whose all units in Jammu and Kashmir where it predominantly existed have since been dissolved after spate of desertions, Azad had to be content being a member of a delegation and not heading it.Jammu food guide

Did the powers those be had in mind the revival of a G23 like formula in mind while suo motu selecting Congress leaders to be part of the delegations?

This cannot be ruled out given the fact that only a particular variety of Congress leaders were picked up for the delegations. At least it is presumed that the politics and political rivalry would take a back seat while undertaking such a national mission which is focused on the armed forces. But that did not ultimately turn out to be the case.

Out of the 59 MPs, ex-MPs and former Ministers, majority from the ruling National Democratic Alliance (read BJP), who were part of the delegations, the Congress nominees hand-picked by the Centre made an interesting study and ultimately generated a controversy.

In one way or the other, they were all rebels. And unlike cricketer turned Trinamool Congress MP, Yusuf Pathan who refused to be part of the delegation as it was done without the consent of his leader Banerjee, the Congress line-up headed by Shashi Tharoor obliged the government and certainly put their own party leadership in a fix.

Obviously, Azad remained to be the pivot of anti-Congress design in the formation of the delegations, despite having parted ways since long and lost much of his political clout. What made the writing on the wall more interesting was nominating, by the government, of his erstwhile G23 colleagues, Tharoor, Manish Tiwari and Salman Khurshid.

None of them was among the four names suggested by the Congress high command. Interestingly, the only one out of these four which was accepted and included in the delegation by the Government was that of former Union Minister, Anand Sharma who was also one of the prime movers of the G23 group along with Azad. Perhaps, the Congress, in this case, was defeated at its own game.

Will this not so subtle a move has the potential of triggering another storm in the Congress which according to Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s words is reeling under the influence of BJP’s sleeper-cells and a variety of horses- racing horses, ‘Shadi ka gora’ and limping horse- drafted for wrong roles?

The fact that the selection process for the delegates had already created a chasm between the ruling dispensation and the premier opposition party Congress. Since the leaders such as Tharoor, head of the most prime delegation touring Americas, Anand Sharma and Khurshid in line with the brief given to them had to toe a particular line, which at times was contrary to the Congress’s thinking on various national issues, it has added to the discomfiture of the party president Kharge and Gandhi. Particularly when the latter has led from the front to launch a tirade against the Modi government.

It is definitely going to impact the internal dynamics of Congress politics in the days to come unless Kharge-Gandhi duo acted firmly. Although Tharoor has been taking a stand contrarian to the party’s, on various issues before he embarked on this foreign tour, it will be interesting to see as to how the party high command deals not only with him but Khurshid, hitherto known for his low-profile and party loyalty, who wholeheartedly praised the abrogation of Article 370, though there was no need for it, while making presentations on the foreign soil.

It will also be interesting to see what stance these leaders, once free from making their presentations before the Ministry of External Affairs and briefing the Prime Minister, take publicly. Will it be in line with the Government’s diplomatic brief or they will clear their stand vis-à-vis the Congress thinking?

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