ELECTIONS '98 COMMENTARY
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'It would be better to elect a chief minister from among the legislators'

Shiv Charan Mathur is a former chief minister of Rajasthan, and he clearly has not given up hope of occupying that hallowed chair once more. At his home in the posh Shyam Nagar locality of Jaipur, he is being garlanded by his followers while sweets are being distributed in celebration of his and the Congress party's thumping victories.

His supporters keep whispering words of support to him, telling him how they all expect him to become the next chief minister following the Congress' greatest-ever victory in Rajasthan, bagging 150 seats out of the 197 that went to the polls. An awesome three fourths majority.

Mathur was at his diplomatic best when answering questions from Amberish K Diwanji on whether he expected to become the next chief minister, saying the Congress high command will decide on the issue.

Being a Kayastha, he does not have a large caste-based support (Kayasthas are a small group, but being a professional class, comparatively high profile), but yet that may work in his favour as the various caste-based groups in their internecine battles may choose him as a compromise candidate.

In fact, the last time that he did become chief minister it was precisely the same reason: unable to decide between two powerful groups, Mathur was the consensus candidate.

What were the main reasons for the thumping Congress victory?

It was the failure of the Bharatiya Janata Party to administer and govern the state. The government was completely indifferent to the problems of the people and did little to help them. There was no development work in the villages, there was rampant corruption, there was the issue of the rising prices, and the atrocities on women and lower caste groups.

Then the ministers and the bureaucracy was too high handed in dealing with the problems of the people, they were seen as being unapproachable, while the lower levels of bureaucracy were corrupt.

The government had take the people for granted. The BJP assumed that the people would continue to vote for them regardless of all their shortcomings.

What was the most important? Was it the price rise?

Price rise was important, but not the only one. One issue that really upset the villagers was the problem of electricity. There was a massive shortage of electricity which really hurt the villagers. First there was no electricity available, and when it was available, there were power cuts all too frequently which damaged the crops.

All in all, the people had seen the last eight years of BJP rule and the earlier Congress rule, and they compared the BJP unfavourably with us.

Now the focus is on the next chief minister, a question which the party left undecided before the election for fear of offending potential leaders and voters.

Choosing the next leader is not a difficult task as the media makes it out to be. It will be solved; it is not a problem created by the party. The party high command will decide after taking into consideration the opinion of the electorate and the Congress legislators.

You were reported as having said that only a legislator should be elected chief minister. (State Congress chief Ashok Gehlot is not a legislator, but an MP).

No, no! An outsider can become the chief minister, but I think it would be better to elect one from among the legislators. I feel there should be no imposition, but that a leader should be chosen taking in view the interests of the entire party.

Do you fear the outbreak of infighting, which is so much part of Congress culture, if there is no clear choice? For instance, the Jats have demanded a chief minister from their caste.

No, there will be no infighting. We won a 3/4th majority on the basis of the party's strength and its unity, and the people have seen our unity. I have no comment to make about the Jat demand.

Are you in the race to be the chief minister? What characteristic must the next chief minister possess?

No one should be in the race to be the next chief minister. It is for the high command to decide and we must all accept the decision. I have nothing to say about any specific characteristic of the next chief minister.

The central observers are coming down to hear the views of the party legislators and workers and they will inform the high command which in turn will take a decision.

To whom do you attribute this victory?

It is a victory under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi. She galvanised the entire party and the workers were enthused. She took the trouble to bring the Congress back to power, and we all worked hard and unitedly. The state leadership also worked in a united fashion; all the leaders worked in their respective areas of strength. And the atmosphere was just right.

Your party has won by a huge margin. Are you scared of the people's expectations?

Not at all. We will meet the people's expectations; that is why we were elected by them.

What will be your government's priorities?

Good governance is why we were elected. We will redress the common man's grievances, ensure that there is electricity and drinking water in every village. We will push up the state's infrastructure.

Does the victory reflect a return of the Congress base?

Most certainly. The Muslims, the other backward classes, the scheduled castes and tribes and the Jats have all now returned to the Congress. These groups had left us after some misunderstanding, but now they realise that whatever plank the BJP offers is just to woo them. They realise that the Congress is a party of the Muslims, the OBCs, the SC, the STs and the poor.

Will this result have an impact on the central government?

It should. If there is a mid-term Lok Sabha election right now, the Congress will sweep the poll. And why should Sonia Gandhi not be the prime minister? The people are fed up with the BJP and its allies. They fight like cats and dogs, not on issues or ideology but on personal matters.

There is no stability and no governance, and the people of the country are fed up. The present landslide is not just against the Rajasthan government, but it is also a mandate against the central BJP government.

Assembly Election '98

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