Political Diary

New Delhi, 10 January 2015

Broken Congress Broke

PAISA HAI TO POWER HAI!

By Poonam I Kaushish

In the on-going Great Indian Political Circus as BJP’s larger-than-life Goliath Modi takes on AAP’s puny David Kejriwal for Delhi’s sweepstakes and both are busy ‘funding’ their vacuous promises, the Grand Old Party Congress has virtually conceded defeat. Simply because it is facing a loaded problem: It’s facing a cash crunch, read broke and how!

In an “unofficial” missive the Congress prima donna has listed out a series of ‘don’ts: No chai-biscuits for the hoi polloi, walk, your fuel allowances has been slashed as has your out-of-pocket jeb kharcha. Taking a flight is a strict no-no and if unavoidable fly cattle class or take trains. Even poll funding for State and local election has been downsized. Succinctly, spend frugally, like a kanjoos, no matter if you live and dream kingsize!

Welcome to the bizarre realities of politics. Whereby money makes the clogged, polluted and corrupt political mare go around, my dear readers. So obvious in the just concluded four States polls wherein torrents of money underscored Mera Bharat Mahan’s ugly truth: Money hai to power hai!

However, post its routs in “fertile” Maharashtra, Andhra and Jharkhand not only is the Congress' cup of cash woes overflowing, worse it is faced with the ruthless political matrix --- a Party which loses and whose future doesn't look bright is dumped by money bags.

Raising a moot point: Why should anyone put his money on a Party or neta? Are the donations altruistic? Are the according to a preference for Parties and their ideologies? It is surely not for the love of either? Certainly not, but purely a business proposition, a simple quid pro quo.

The person helps a Party with funds and, in return, gets his job done. It is not for nothing that businessmen are known as king-makers and the power behind the throne along-with political Insurance. Specially, a handful of top industrial houses which boast about their clout in the corridors of power – political insurance.

Said an industrialist, “No one wants to be seen as aligned with any Party for fear of backing the wrong one and getting the short end of the stick. The winning Party then can be less than fair to the company.” Resulting in the phenomenon of the donation cup over-flowing whenever a Party is in power at the Centre or States.

Interestingly, a cursory glance of affidavits filed with the Election Commission post Election 2014 showcases significant contributions from several business houses queued up and generously donated to the BJP coffers in the belief Modi would sit on India’s Raj gaddi. A steel magnate’s company contributed Rs 50 crores, another NRI industrialist donated over $50 million.

Also, it showcases significant contributions from several business houses that have directly benefited from the Party in power. Recall, how Vedanta took over public sector giant Bharat Aluminum Co Ltd, BALCO post a donation and another tycoon was rewarded with highway construction contracts.

Yet another paid Rs 3 crores to the Congress and within months was inducted into the Party. But he was one of the highest donors to the BJP. Truly, playing both ends against the middle.

Added a seasoned donor, “Corporate/industry funding, barring few honourable exceptions, tends to follow the political winds and keep a safe distance from the politically incorrect side for some time.” Underscored by Election Commission data which reveals that the BJP’s donations peaked to Rs 155 crores in 2004-05 and plummeted to Rs 137 crores in 2007-08.

Correspondingly, there was a phenomenal rise in Congress’s share from Rs 53 crores in 2002-03 to Rs. 265 crores in 2007-08. Significantly, donations to the BSP rose from 11 crores in 2002-03 to Rs. 55.6 crores in 2007-08. Clearly, proof of the odious entry of corporates in our body politic replete with dangerous consequences.

Donations for 2003-04 show how the fortunes of the ruling party differ from the one out of power. While the Congress ‘officially’ received just Rs 2.81 crore, the BJP managed over Rs 11.69 crore. Money was paid through little-known trusts, or in some cases, directly by the business groups.

Clearly, underscoring the symbiotic and partly antagonistic relationship between industry and politics. During Nehru’s rule, corporates funded the Congress and secured leverage over the shaping of policies on State regulation of the economy, and obtaining permits.

Indira Gandhi cleverly amended the Company law to bar contributions. This ensured that the ruling Party alone got under-the-table funds. Licences and permits were hawked like chaat and moongphali leading to the notorious "briefcase politics", transfer of black money into the Congress coffers.

Rajiv Gandhi followed in Nehru’s footsteps and allowed company donations. Narasimha Rao’s era too was enmeshed in the hawala scandal, which highlighted the sleazy method of political funding. During the coalition era corporates funded the dominant Party in every State, rather than funding only one or two Parties at the national level. Thus, according to its interests, a company ended up financing one party in a State and its rival in another State.

This is not the all. Pertinently, with caste and creed becoming the tour de force of vote-bank politics, Parties need money for “buying votes” and for the rent-a-crowd rallies. It is no secret that the going rate for such rallies is Rs 200 per person plus food packets.

Not only that. Funds are also used for capturing booths, transporting voters, entertaining workers et al. Thus, the Parties and their leaders spend most of their time in amassing wealth with an I-don’t-care-do-what-you-want attitude.

Tragically, things have come to a pass wherein most politicians regard rajniti as a business that yields public office or Governmental power. They join Parties to exercise clout and in turn use it to amass wealth not only for their Parties and themselves as also to finance election.

Notwithstanding, over the years the Government has tried to bring in legislation to regulate Party funds -- distribution and spending of Party funds during non-elections and elections. Along-with making there finances transparent by getting them to maintain regular accounts and make audited accounts available for inspection

But like businessmen, politicians balk at the idea of controls and regulations. That is why no Party, however vocal about the matter while in opposition, has made a sincere attempt at standing the flow of black money into its coffers or getting their accounts audited. And the reason is not far to seek.

Remember, when crores went missing from the BJP lockers sometime back the Party did not even file an FIR. Instead private detectives were hired to investigate but the trail went dead. Underscoring, it is high time accounts and assets of Parties be brought under a scanner.

In sum, given that Parties function as private limited companies, each with its own secret war chests, Messers Modi, Rahul and Kejriwal’s tall talk of eradicating corruption is just empty talk. Leaving our leaders cooing Na baap bara na bhaiya sabse bara rupiah. What gives?  ---- INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)