CABINET RESHUFFLE - WHAT HAPPENS TO THE JOKERS IN THE PACK?

By Ruma Dubey

The Presidential debate between Obama and Romney made two things clear – firstly, this is the way in which debates are conducted in developed countries where people of the country get to hear answers to most of their burning questions. And secondly, this kind of a debate can never happen in India simply because our politicians make only speeches and can never give straight answers.  The debates on TV channels are mere shouting matches where nothing but frustrations is the end result.

And while one was still reeling under these depressing thoughts, with the lackluster markets also not helping much,  news of a Cabinet reshuffle and Rahul baba meeting the PM and the President made the oncoming political scenario even more desolate.

A cabinet reshuffle?  The thought is more for a completely new cabinet, not same old wine in new bottle.  When there are no performers at all, how does it matter which minister handles what; wherever the same ministers are shuffled to, they will remain ineffective. Thus the very idea of shunting the same old non-performing (mind you, we have not even used the word ‘corrupt’ yet) ministers from one dabba to another, is all very symbolic. A useless and ineffective exercise.

There is a major speculation about Rahul baba meeting with the President and the PM. There is talk of him getting a berth in the Cabinet and could soon become a minister. A sinister thought but much milder if one knows that ultimately he is being groomed for becoming the Prime Minister; he will be leading India. Now, that would be a real nightmare of sorts!  And what is the big deal in him meeting up with the two most important men in India? Isn’t he and his family more important than the country itself? When the entire Congress Govt, with the FM and law minister in tow, could back up Vadra, who is not even a corporator and shunt out a honest IAS officer, isn’t it clear to all of us ‘mango’  people (aam aadmi?) that, yes, we all indeed live in a banana republic today? Dynasty rocks!

And it is this background which makes things much easier for Arvind Kejriwal. He is digging out cans of worms and people feel vindicated. There is no opposition as such and thus Kejriwal is today looking like a shining star of future India. Maybe that is how Indian politics does need to go. We need a completely new crop of people, young and dynamic, who will ask questions and maybe, we could also have debates on TV like the way they have in USA. We ape the West, so why not in things which are good?  For the people of India, there is a crisis of leadership – there is no one capable in the ruling Govt and no one even in the Opposition.  So a new political party is indeed the need of the hour. Kejriwal, when he was a part of the Anna agitation, came forth as a wanna-be leader, who had his foot in the mouth more often than out. But because he has today shown the guts to speak out against the Gandhi family, brought out the nexus between realty developers and politicians out in the open; basically put the rich and powerful in the docks.  He has promised to expose more such people in the coming days. Sounds a bit like Assange when he says that though!

So the cabinet reshuffle is just a futile exercise, the last straw for a Govt which if it goes to polls now could be decimated.  It could put new and young faces in the Cabinet - Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sachin Pilot, Meenakshi Natarajan, Jyoti Mirdha, Manick Tagore, Jitin Prasad, Arun Yadav and even Manish Tewari are being touted as the new ministers who will change the present face of the UPA.  There is also news of some senior ministers being asked to vacate their berths and take up organisational roles; prominent amongst them being Ghulam Nabi Azad, Kamal Nath and Mukul Wasnik. There is speculation that suave Shashi Tharoor could return. Ministers holding two berths could get relief. DMK and NCP could also get some berths in this reshuffle.

Well, all this is expected to happen after Dassera, which marks the win of good over evil. But a reshuffle, will it also mean the same?