Delhi's power elite loves to gossip about what outgoing Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral will do after he demits office in March. It is too early to make any prediction about a person who, by a quirk of history, was pushed from the back-benches of Indian polity to the forefront.Primarily a cosmopolitan politician, Gujral is least expected to play any important role in shaping or shaking the destiny of even his dwindling Janata Dal, let alone influence the national agenda. Traditionally, the Indian prime minister, by virtue of his clout and status, plays a decisive role in both the selection of his party's election candidates and in the campaign. Gujral is hardly involved in these exercises. Instead of the Prime Minister's Residence (PMR) becoming the final destination of favour- and ticket-seekers, it wears a deserted look with more SPG types hovering around than politicians. With the prime minister holding all his routine Cabinet meetings in South Block, the PMR has finally acquired a home-like atmosphere. Only those in search of new posts and wet postings in the Government sneak into the Race Course Road complex but often return without much success.If his recent itinerary and daily routine are any indication, Gujral is itching to return to his natural habitat and its inhabitants: the India International Centre (IIC) and pals of the prime minister (POPs). After an irksome, though not tiresome, eight months of administrative acrobatics, the prime minister and his family decided to spend their Christmas holiday in the salubrious environs of Kanha sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh. Gujral was expected to stay for four days in the forests, watching tigers, but that was not to be. Bowing to public outcry and pressure from tourism circles, Gujral cancelled his Kanha holiday plan. .preferred-source-banner{ margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}Instead, he flew to his favourite destination. No prizes for guessing where. He spent most of his three days in Panaji at Goa's IIC. Earlier, the prime minister visited Delhi's IIC for the formal release of a book put together by Issar Ahluwalia, one of the few indigenously nurtured Indian economists.IICs are not the only institutions that are likely to be frequented by Gujral. The prime minister also decided to patronise Delhi's Chelmsford Club, which is controlled by the capital's well-fed Punjabi businessmen and civil servants. Last month Gujral went there to inaugurate a mere extension of one of the club's halls.The prime minister, it appears, is once again mastering the art of effectively participating in seminars and indulging in intellectual aerobics. In the past few weeks, he has attended over half a dozen seminars and academic functions where he was in his elements.With fewer political meetings to participate in, Gujral has been liberal in accepting all invitations for addressing cosmopolitan gatherings where he speaks as his heart leads. For example, he has not told his party colleagues to refrain from collecting cash donations, but he chides top corporates for making cash contributions to political parties.While attending a seminar on "Combatting Corruption", organised by the Indian Merchants' Chamber in Mumbai, the prime minister asked industrialists, "Can you promise that every one present here will donate to the political parties through cheques only and not in black money? And that any member who pays in cash would be thrown out?" It is clear that the real Gujral will only emerge after this Gujral ceases to be prime minister.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Jan 12, 1998--- ENDS ---
