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THE NATION: SAMATA PARTY

Doghouse Woes

George Fernandes is losing ground both within and outside his party

By Lakshmi Iyer

One was anticipated and the other extraordinary. The decision of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to admit the Trinamool Congress into its fold surprised few, but the resolution at the August 27 meeting urging the Government to direct the Justice K. Venkatswami Commission to hasten its probe into the Tehelka expose on defence purchases was unprecedented.

The two mutually dependent steps had a common goal: help NDA Convener George Fernandes rejoin the Government. They also indicated the hitherto unsuspected compulsions of the Samata Party leader. Fernandes is not only keen to return to the South Block but is also fast losing confidence in the due process of law. "It is a grave injustice to me," was how he described his exclusion from the Government. The former defence minister had put in his papers even though the news portal's sting operation on his ministry did not incriminate him directly.

What provoked the usually stoic socialist to wallow in self-pity? A combination of factors: the recent revelation of Tehelka's questionable means of procuring the "truth"; the slow progress made by the Venkatswami Commission that has been given a four-month extension; and, last but not the least, steady erosion of his authority within his party since Tehelka released the tapes. Samata MPs have been openly questioning the influence his close aide Jaya Jaitly wields in party matters. The defiant mood in the party has unsettled Fernandes more than the scam ever did.

To complicate matters, the conflict between Fernandes and Railway Minister Nitish Kumar for control of the party has escalated. At a parliamentary party meeting last week, Fernandes found himself buffeted by hostile questions from Nitish's supporters for bringing Mamata Banerjee back into the NDA. Has Mamata been promised the Railway Ministry, an angry Rajya Sabha member Dayanand Sahay asked, interrupting Fernandes' monologue on human rights. Fernandes had to clarify that Mamata had not set any preconditions. Nitish, who had watched the exchange of words in silence, chipped in, "I want to get out of the ministry. It is too much of a burden."

Nitish's supporters have been more direct. They have publicly criticised Jaitly for reducing the Tehelka scam into an issue between the website and Fernandes. Rajiv Ranjan Singh, also a Rajya Sabha member, went ballistic when Jaitly told a television network that with Mamata's return, Fernandes should have no problem in becoming minister once again. For the second time in a week, the party president had to call a meeting of MPs to fight Jaitly's battle. He offered to step down as party leader. Nitish did not even attend the meeting.

Since March Fernandes has been trying to counter his isolation in the party by building up his political stock within the NDA. He has been playing the trouble-shooter, mollifying sulking allies and bringing prodigals like Mamata back to the fold. Her return could not have happened at a more opportune moment for Fernandes. The Trinamool Congress leader had first sought his resignation and later quit the Government citing the Tehelka scam as a reason.

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