The great Indian political circus!

The ink had not dried from my post on the Trinamool Supremo’s aspirations for the post of the Prime Minister of India, when the news of Babul Supriyo, a former Union State Minister from the NDA and a sitting MP had resigned from BJP and joined his adversaries the AITC, in the presence of Abhishek Banerjee, MP.

Babul Supriyo’s story had all the potboiler elements. Still, it got relegated to the background with another even more thrilling story, the CM of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh submitting his resignation.

In the case of Supriyo, the disgruntlement of the MP during the West Bengal Assembly elections and his crumbling defeat indicated that all was not well. His pleas for not considering him as an Assembly candidate fell on deaf ears. BJP cut him to size after the polls, as Babul’s distance from the State leadership, Dilip Ghosh, widened. He lost his free entry to the home minister and the PM, taken over by Suvendu Adhikary. Mukul Roy, the engineer for defections, worked on Babul and succeeded in inflicting a humiliating blow to the BJP and the state BJP leadership.

Amarinder Singh, the CM of Punjab and a senior leader of the Congress party, was getting too strong to the Gandhi family’s displeasure. The party always detested anyone growing too big to challenge the might of Sonia and Rahul and Amarinder, for his seniority and experience could do that. Soon started the see-saw politics, bringing in the Cricketer-turned-comedian politician Navjot Singh Sidhu. In a division of powers, the Gandhis appointed Sidhu as the Punjab Congress chief, much to the chagrin of Amarinder Singh.

Sidhu threatened to join AAP if denied the state party leadership, to which Delhi tamely conceded, thanks to the intervention of his friend Priyanka Vadra Gandhi. His singular aim seemed to flex and announce his powers, but the political maverick Sidhu, in the process, started humiliating Amarinder Singh. Political observers were only waiting for this day when Captain would quit, which did not come as a surprise to most, at least not to me.

What Captain would do next is a more interesting question. He has confirmed that he is not retiring from politics. Capt. is unlikely to stay in the Congress. He has a few other choices, to float his party or to join AAP. I discount the second option as Amarinder and AAP leader Bhagwant Mann are not on the best of friendly terms. Captain’s age might become a hurdle in doing anything adventurous, which leaves the unlikely option of Captain allying with the BJP. I can see many frowns, but to them, I would only ask, ‘how many thought Babul would join the Trinamool party?’

There’s a political churn in India. CMs of three BJP ruled states have been replaced. Mamata has thrown in her hat to fight Modi in 2024. The crumble of Congress under the Gandhis is unstoppable. Left has nothing left, and many regional parties could influence the future politics of India.

Moral of the story: Not to take sides ever and support or criticize politicians. They could switch to the opposition camps at any time!

Sampath Kumar

Intrépide Voix