Mamata's tantrums: Allied troubles for Congress

Trinamool Congress president Mamata Banerjee proved on Sunday, if proof were required, that she is the undisputed leader of her party and her word is law. Recalcitrant railway minister Dinesh Trivedi spoke to her on the telephone and told her he would quit if she wanted him to. Banerjee made it clear that she did, and by evening he put in his papers.

Trivedi had defied his leader and stood up for a passenger fare increase to protect the Indian Railways from going, as he put it, the Air India way. Banerjee, however, was more intent on defending her own populist appeal in West Bengal. Despite his bravado, everyone knew Trivedi stood no chance against the fiery Bengal chief minister.

The issue, however, goes beyond Trivedi’s equation with Banerjee, or even Banerjee’s populist stance against the fare increase. The more important question is: can a government in a democracy, even one run by a coalition, operate for long on the whims of a leader?

Already, Banerjee has forced the government to backtrack on its decision to allow foreign direct investment in retail and its plan to set up a national counter-terrorism centre. Now, the passenger fare increase, so critical to prevent the railways from going under, may also have to be rolled back.

At the moment, it does not appear as if prime minister Manmohan Singh stands much of a chance against his cantankerous, often irresponsible, ally. But unless the Congress can find an antidote to Didi quickly, UPA 2 is certain to sink still further into the quagmire of inaction and paralysis.