Political disputes increase ahead of Indian elections
April 5, 1996
Web posted at: 1:45 p.m. EST (1845 GMT)NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- At least six people have been reported killed in pre-election violence in India's Bihar state -- bringing to 13 the number thought to have been killed for political reasons nationwide.
Parliamentary elections begin April 27 and continue for more than a month. In the weeks prior to the vote, India is seeing not only physical violence, but rough-and-tumble politics.
Drumbeats and crowds herald the beginning of the election process, when candidates file their nomination papers. The filing is accompanied by anticipation, excitement and jostling crowds, typifying the push and shove of Indian politics.
It is also a time when anger and resentment against party bosses run high, when parties split, politicians defect and cadres revolt.
Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao's ruling Congress Party faces the brunt of rebellion. A group in the Congress Party of the southern state of Tamil Nadu, opposed to Rao's alliance with a controversial regional party, broke away from the main party.
Two ministers in Rao's cabinet resigned, including Commerce Minister P. Chidambaram, an important architect of India's economic reform program. Both of the departed ministers have now been expelled from Congress, and the breakaway faction has formed a new political party to contest the upcoming elections.
Analysts say that will cut into the Congress Party's constituency.
The Congress Party is likely to lose as many as 10 to 15 seats because of this latest development in Tamil Nadu," said Dr. Bhaskara Rao, the chairman of the Center for Media Studies.
P.V. Narasimha Rao's decision to deny election nominations to ministers tainted by the recent $18 million bribery scandal has also fueled in-fighting. One of the affected former ministers has now formed his own party in his home base in Central India. The Congress Party has expelled him as well.
"There is nothing unusual about in-fighting in a party which is in power," said Bhaskara Rao. "And at the time of elections, every party goes through this kind of thing, whether it is in power or not." (118K AIFF sound or 118K WAV sound)
Rebellion has flared up not only in the Congress but in the opposition parties as well. The Hindu right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party had its share of troubles, as feuds erupted over the allotment of nominations. A few leaders even defected to the Congress Party.
And a major revolt in the Janata Dal party resulted in a large number of prominent members and party workers joining the Congress.
Much of the in-fighting in India's major political parties is part of pre-election jockeying. Factions cut loose now, but often come together again when the time comes to form a government.
From Correspondent Anita Pratap and wire reports.
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