The Congress (I) leadership has produced a patchwork government for Maharashtra. It can argue that it has had little choice in the matter. Indeed, the state legislature party has been too faction-ridden to have united behind any one leader. It certainly did not behind Mr. Vasantrao Patil. In the secret ballot preceding his formal unanimous election as the new party leader, he secured more votes than his closest rival, Mr. Ramrao Adik, but his lead was marginal. So Mr. Adik’s cooperation had to be enlisted if Mr. Patil was to be elected. It is not known whether Mr. Adik stipulated his price for this cooperation at that stage. But it has been paid. He has been named deputy chief minister and a number of his nominees have been included in the cabinet so much so that some knowledgeable persons suggest that the new government in Bombay is more Mr. Adik’s than Mr. Patil’s. The secret ballot is also said to have revealed that Mr. AR Antulay continues to command considerable support in the Congress (I) legislature party. Though this contradicts earlier reports to the effect that only about a dozen legislators had voted for him, it appears to be accurate. Or else, it would be difficult to explain the induction into the government of two of his cronies who had harassed the former chief minister, Mr. Babasabeb Bhosale, from within his own cabinet, apparently at Mr. Antulay’s behest.
But regardless of whether or not the Congress (I) leadership has acted under the compulsion of circumstances, the result is far from satisfactory. There are some reasons to hope that the experiment will not come unstuck too soon. Mr. Patil is, for instance, an experienced politician who is known for his ability to “win friends and influence people”. Mr. Adik, too, has a stake in ensuring that the government lasts if only because he would not wish to take the risk of the state passing under President’s rule, as it should if the Congress (I) once again fails to provide a government that works. Even so it will be a small miracle if the legitimization of factionalism in the ruling party does not lead to a paralysis of the new set-up. There are already reports that the groups, which are either not represented in the government or are “inadequately” represented, are aggrieved. And the chances are that if they choose to create difficulties for Mr. Patil they will gather support. For the Congress (I) has reached a stage where every other legislator wants a ministerial or some other equally “fruitful” office. Maharashtra’s experience of two power centres in the late seventies with Mr. Vasantrao Patil as chief minister and Mr. Tirpude as deputy chief minister was extremely unhappy. It may well be repeated unless Mr. Patil and Mr. Adik display an unexpectedly high level of good sense. Mrs. Gandhi is pretty ruthless in dealing with would-be dissidents.