PARAGRAPH, WORDS AND MEANING
PARAGRAPH OF THE DAY-
Vertical presence
Why is it necessary to even consider the Congress when the possibilities for 2019 are being considered? Because even at a miserable 40-plus seats in the Lok Sabha, it is still the largest single Opposition party. And its importance stems from more than numbers. In terms of mindset, it is the only party that straddles the country vertically. With the ending of Chandrababu Naidu’s dalliance with the BJP, the entire south of the country is ruled by non-BJP parties. Assuming that this will continue till May 2019, the historical reach of the Congress party makes it better suited than any other to respond to the aspirations of the people of southern India. The architects of the BJP’s recent defeat in U.P. cannot hope to fill this role. Both the SP and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) are by choice parochial entities. Neither Lalu Prasad nor Mulayam Singh Yadav has attempted outreach south of the Vindhya. In fact, they seem to revel in the role of regional politicians apart from the unapologetic pitch to their own caste, which practice does not go down as well here. On the other hand, whatever may be their limitations, the Nehru-Gandhis mix naturally with the populace of this diverse country as if to the manner born. This is a rare valuable gift that they have inherited, but in the upcoming political battle with the BJP, the Congress leadership would need more than social skills. They can learn some of this from the leaders of the SP, the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the BSP. The latter bring a heft to the table which is also present in the style of Mr. Modi. And you can’t hold it against the electorate for rewarding it. After all they are not engaging in a contest for the best person in the room. Electors look for courage of conviction in their leaders; gravitas would be an additional asset. If the Congress is to lead the country once again, it should offer more than just secularism. If the results in Gujarat and the by-elections in U.P. are anything to go by, the electors need no tutoring on secularism. They are able to evaluate Hindutva politics for what it is. On the other hand, they aspire to better their living conditions and expect politicians to deliver this outcome. The Congress Party’s addiction to approbation from urban intellectuals leaves it incapable of seeing this. Deracinated in their gated communities, this group is seriously out of touch with the aspirations of ordinary people in this country. Democracy is meant to deliver this better life but in India it fails to do so. On almost every social indicator India lags the global average. Exactly as in the former Soviet Union in the 1980s the people were able to see that the rest of Europe was far ahead of them in living standards, so the people of India today see that we lag behind the rest of Asia. So if the Opposition wants to come to power, it must show solutions for a better life in India. And it must show an appetite for governance, something that Mr. Modi exudes even if his success in providing it is not so apparent four years into office. Legislating rights as under the United Progressive Alliance II may win praise from the intelligentsia of Delhi but could prove to be insufficient, as the electorate sharply signalled when it voted for Mr. Modi in 2014. Rights are hardly unimportant, but in an environment of acute economic insecurity the electorate wants the latter addressed upfront. This requires maintaining a buoyant economy and providing the services that cannot be purchased from the private sector. Political parties that aspire for power need to recognise this.
See the possibilities
It would be laziness to see election outcomes as reflecting some deeper social forces including the waxing and waning of Hindutva and conveniently assume that they are unstoppable. Electoral history in U.P. over the past 25 years reveals the folly in such thinking. The BJP was voted out immediately after the demolition under its patronage of the Babri Masjid and remained in the wilderness for much of the quarter century since. Ms. Mayawati came to power four times in this period and the Yadav clan, through father and son separately, has had more than one shot at governance. This parade is not reflective of some grand impersonal churning at work. It is the electorate thrashing complacent political parties which once they come to power fail to govern satisfactorily. Just as even two swallows do not a summer make, the elections in U.P. do not signal the departure of Narendra Modi yet, but they do suggest possibilities.
Straddles
Meaning: Take up or maintain an equivocal position with regard to (a political issue).
Example: “a man who had straddled the issue of taxes”
Dalliance
Meaning: A period of brief or casual involvement with something.
Example: “Berkeley was my last dalliance with the education system”
Parochial
Meaning: Having a limited or narrow outlook or scope.
Example: “parochial attitudes”
Synonyms: Narrow-minded, Provincial
Antonyms: Cosmopolitan
Unapologetic
Meaning: Not acknowledging or expressing regret.
Example: “he remained unapologetic about his decision”
Populace
Meaning: The people living in a particular country or area.
Example: “the party misjudged the mood of the populace”
Synonyms: Population
Deracinated
Meaning: Uproot (someone) from their natural geographical, social, or cultural environment.
Example: “a deracinated writer who has complicated relations with his working-class background”
Appetite
Meaning: A strong desire or liking for something.
Example: “her appetite for life”
Synonyms: Craving, Longing
Antonyms: Aversion
Intelligentsia
Meaning: Intellectuals or highly educated people as a group, especially when regarded as possessing culture and political influence.
Example: “a distrust of the intelligentsia and of theoretical learning”
Synonyms: Literati, Cultrate
Buoyant
Meaning: (of an economy, business, or market) involving or engaged in much successful trade or activity.
Example: “car sales were buoyant”
Synonyms: Booming, Strong
Antonyms: Depressed
Waxing and waning
Meaning: To grow stronger and then weaker again.
Example: His commitment to democracy and free markets has waxed and waned with his political fortunes.
Synonyms: Changing, Alter
Demolition
Meaning: The action or process of demolishing or being demolished.
Example: “the monument was saved from demolition”
Synonyms: Destruction, Clearance
Antonyms: Construction, Confirmation
Patronage
Meaning: The power to control appointments to office or the right to privileges.
Example: “recruits are selected on merit, not through political patronage”
Synonyms: Favouritism, Partiality
Wilderness
Meaning: A position of disfavour, especially in a political context.
Example: “the man who led the Labour Party out of the wilderness”
Churning
Meaning: (of a broker) encourage frequent turnover of (investments) in order to generate commission.
Example: “these brokers churn the client’s portfolio to generate an income for themselves”
Complacent
Meaning: Showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one’s achievements.
Example:” you can’t afford to be complacent about security”
Synonyms: Satisfied, Content
Antonyms: Dissatisfied, Humble
