Single party rule or multi-party system

Regionalism worries Manmohan Statesman News Service

NEW DELHI, Nov. 5: Referring to competing demands by parties based on local interests, the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh today said “narrow political considerations” based on regional or sectional loyalties could distort national vision.

“Sometimes the resolution of problems acquires an excessively political hue, and narrow political considerations, based on regional or sectional loyalties and ideologies, can distort the national vision and sense of wider collective purpose”,

the PM said. Although the PM did not take any names or any specific issue in this context, it is widely known that on the major issue of the Indo-US nuclear deal ~ the showpiece of Dr Singh’s foreign policy “accomplishments” ~ he has been facing fierce opposition from his crucial supporting Left partners and has even come across resistance from some of his poll-wary major UPA constituents such as RJD, the DMK and the NCP despite his consistent bid to plug the deal as something in overwhelming national interest.

Inaugurating the fourth international conference on federalism here, attended by delegates from 26 countries, the PM wondered if management of Centre-state relations could be better under a single party rule or under a multi-party system. Apparently referring to India’s current experience, the PM touched upon a multi-party model where political parties with varying national reach and many with a very limited sub-national reach, formed a coalition at a national level.

“Is such a model capable of providing the unity of purpose that nation-states have to often demonstrate? Or is it an essential outcome of federalism which successfully projects local aspirations at a national level? This political dimension of the Centre-states relations is yet another challenge facing a federal polity like ours.”

Asking the conference to reflect on such situations, the Prime Minister asked whether in a modern state, a single party state has any advantages in managing Centre-state relations smoothly as opposed to a multi-party system.

“Or is a multi-party model, with national parties dominating the political scene, superior, where one can hope that all of them will take a national view on policy issues and help to reinforce the unity of the federation.”

“In theory,” he said, “management of Centre-States relations should be smooth in this sort of model. However, the Indian experience suggests that even in this sort of world the management of Centre-State relations can give rise to serious tensions.”

Expressing his dilemma over coalition compulsions, the PM had recently talked about the need for securing clear mandate for a political party for the better management of growth in the country. In another speech recently, he had expressed his distress over the country’s political scenario when he said

“In an age of competitive politics, politicians tend to become short-term aximisers. It is for this reason that democratic and plural societies need a social group capable of long-term thinking.”

The country needed, according to him,

“Men and women of wisdom capable of strategic thinking, with the self-confidence to articulate them. People with a stake in the future, with no vested interest in the political battles of the day. People who don’t think just for a section of society for a region or a religion, for a vested interest or for short-term gains. We need people who can think for the nation. Think into the future. Think about the future and its various possibilities.”

Narrow considerations could distort national vision: PM Hindu Sectional loyalties, ideologies distort national view: PM Deccan Herald FOURTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON FEDERALISM BEGINS Press Information Bureau (press release) KanglaOnline all 42 news articles »