By Aditya Jha
Edited by Sanchita Malhotra, Associate Editor, The Indian Economist
One may bet that sycophancy is there in every field including ones work place. The non-indulgent person accepts it grudgingly. But the politician feels happy and encourages a higher degree of sycophancy. Even in any sector sycophancy helps an undeserving person to get promoted .But the danger in politics is, a crook can be made to reach great heights so easily by sheer sycophancy.
For a first timer in politics, survival will depend on his or her sychophantic abilities . As on date the most paying profession in India is politics. Naturally budding politicians edge out others by the strength of their sycophancy. The print media and the visual media in India play up their part to encourage this tendency in the most bizarre way.
Sycophantic politics is the best way for an unscrupulous politician,to survive and retain himself in the political arena. In the largest democracy of the world,the sycophantic and moral less leaders are proliferating and growing rapidly.Recently,once estranged,leaders ,Nitish Kumar and lalu prasad joined hands to combat together the namo factors in Bihar.It can also be articulated here,somehow or the other,that due to the fear of their political career been jeopardised in the upcoming state assembly polls,they joined hands.
Another instance is when LJP joins the NDA ,LJP whose political career was on the verge of nullification,and also been sidelined by the ups and rjd during seats distribution in Bihar,joined NDA with a political outfit. Earlier in 2002,pas wan buffed his secular credentials domestically and abroad by describing his resignation from the Vajpayee’s government as a protest against the modi’s regime failure to control the post-godhra-conflagration. He had also demanded that
modi be sacked,and president rule should be imposed in Gujarat. Paswan was also present in the cabinet of V.P. Singh(1989),united front government (1996),NDA(1999),UPA (2004).Same story with Nitish Kumar,who also once aligned with paswan and Lalu. Kumar used to hold ministries in V.P. Singh government and Vajpayee’s government. Again, food ministry in his pocket. When the matter of giving undue favour to one of the private infrastructure company in reference to land sanctioning, opened up in the CBI court,the two regional sattraps and former chief ministers of UP Mulayam singh and Mayawati indicted in the case,did support the previous UPA government at the centre in its every move.The former Bihar CM and railway minister Lalu Yadav who decided to contest the 2009 Loksabha polls on majority of the seats in Bihar in alliance with LJP,and turned down the congress to only single digited seats during seats allocation. Post elections drubbing consequence in 2009, both the two party supported the government externally. All these above mentioned parties helped UPA government in bills passage in the loksabha by mustering a majority vote. These regional leaders supported the UPA in lieu of their political security.
Back in 1977,the janta party government formed in the centre with a thin majority of 295 seats.In this government,most of the leaders had prime ministrial ambitions.In 1979,the janta party split into Charan singh’s and Morarji Desai’s factions. Charan Singh reached the PM chair backed by the congress party.But , the government was stable only for three weeks,due to congress withdrawing its support.Fresh elections announced in 1980.
Again,the period of 1989-1991 was turbulent in the Indian politics, which also triggered caste and communal backlash.With the election manifesto of congress assuring “ram rajya”,implementation of mandal commission by V.P government to BJP’s rath yatra, this period] witnessed many instances of extravagant politics. Advani on being arrested in Bihar for his rath yatra, withdrew his support from the janta dal’s government.And with the dissidence and repulsion of
Chandrashekhar with 64 MPs,the V.P Singh government toppled. Thereafter, Chandrashekhar with the support of Rajiv Gandhi formed the government. But the government existed for few months,with the withdrawal of congress’ support,due to the reason of spying of Rajiv Gandhi by two constables. Fresh elections announced in 1991.
The 1996 united front government,was a coalition many sycophant and extravagant politicians. United Front represented two PMs ie. Devgowda and Guzaral. But again,the government did not prove to be stable due to many members’ PM ambitions. Due to the presence of prodigal leaders like Lalu prasad and Mulayam singh,the government flopped.
From the aforesaid facts,it can be epitomized that how prodigal, extravagant and opportunist a leader could be.These political sycophants are carcinogenic to the fabric of the democracy and they are only solely responsible for the losing apathy of the indian voters.
Aditya is currently, pursuing a BTech degree in information technology from Bharati Vidyapeeth, Pune University. He is basically from bihar and a civil service aspirant . More of a writer/editor than engineer, he loves writing poems, fiction, social satires etc. He is keen interested in national and international political affairs,and has an immense grip in the political analysis.He started writing in newspapers since very young age.His articles appeared in some of the regional newspapers of bihar.Presently,he is a writer at indiaopines(online news & editorial site),hindmatt(a delhi based magazine),aakhirkyon(online portal).