In the eight months he has been prime minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee has been to assertive action what Kumbhakarn was to insomnia. Pokhran apart, he has carefully smothered any urge he may have had towards decision making.Compromise is a wonderful virtue in interpersonal relations. If it becomes the guiding principle of governance though, it can only lead to disaster: the fallout of the recent assembly elections is there for Vajpayee to bear. Ironically, in the very week of the polls, the BJP led coalition lumbered its way into liberalising the insurance sector and throwing it open to foreign equity. Despite the opposition from luddite trade unions, the unshackling of the insurance business is a necessity. Rational economists will hope that this is only the beginning of reforms, phase II.It will also be politically judicious for the BJP to make more such dramatic gestures and not just in the area of economic policy. The underlying message of the past week's elections is that the Vajpayee regime is on notice. Only the foolhardy believe this Government indeed, this Lok Sabha can survive five years. To borrow a cricketing analogy, Vajpayee is in the last 10 overs of a limited overs match. It is a time to hit out or get out; only the truly cretinous will try and build an innings. Whatever emotive issues it may bring up or resurrect the BJP's fortunes in a possible midterm election will substantially depend on its performance in office. Excuses about obstructionist allies will not wash. Vajpayee's doctrine of "do nothing, anger nobody" is guaranteed to leave the BJP bereft of an agenda. Personally, it will result in him competing with I.K. Gujral for the title of India's most ineffectual prime minister. The option before Vajpayee is therefore to take tough decisions even at the risk of angering any (fairweather) friends and attempt to recapture the popular imagination. Alternatively he can continue to sleepwalk, perhaps survive a few months longer and buy himself a ticket to the dustbin of history..preferred-source-banner{ margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}Published By: AtMigration Published On: Dec 7, 1998--- ENDS ---
