THE NEW EAST INDIA COMPANY

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  Thursday, 17 October 2013 16:02
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Everyday there is a new exit poll…and with each of these predictions for Election 2014 one thing is becoming amply clear… that neither will the Modi’s and nor will the Rahul’s of the world get a clear mandate from the people…  Most polls put the share of the non BJP  non Congress regional stalwarts at around 240 seats .That has prompted the coming together of the new East India  Company.

Mamata Banerjee, Naveen Patnaik, Nitish Kumar, Babulal Marandi and Badruddin Ajmal are together mulling the formation of a new front. Reciently Trinamool Congress leader Mukul Roy made a quiet visit to Ranchi. He met Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) leader Babulal Marandi, to cement  the formation of an eastern block of parties that are, equidistant from the Congress and the BJP.

The Trinamool Congress, Biju Janata Dal, Janata Dal (U), and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) hold sway in over 100 seats in eastern India. All of these parties being courted by both the BJP and the Congress, have so far decided to play it safe holding their election cards close to their chest.

So is it just about the East India Company, not really.  Later this month, the Left is organising a convention in Delhi, where Mulayam Singh Yadav, the leader of  the Samajwadi Party, JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar and BJD boss and Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik, are expected to be present. Also said to be making it to the meeting is AIADMK’s Jayalalithaa. Together they look like a formidable force which if they pull in a few more like minded allies will cross the 200 mark in terms of seat potential.

There is only one hitch, just like the East India Company of old the policy here  seems to one of  ‘divide and rule’, only the formula in this case applies to the members themselves..Each of them is ready  to ‘divide’  for himself or herself as much support as possible within the Company  and then become Prime Minister….Mulayam, Nitish, Naveen, Jayalalithaa, all four are Prime Ministers in waiting..

 Last time round  the East India Company was rejected by the Aam Aadmi.. Aur Aam Admi se yaad aiya …’Arvind Kahan hai’.  Will he be the real alternative that the Aam Admi is looking to in 2014.

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