New India leader willing to compromise

June 1, 1996
Web posted at: 5:45 p.m. EDT (2145 GMT)

From New Delhi Bureau Chief Anita Pratap

NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- India's new prime minister, H.D. Deve Gowda, likes to call himself a "son of the soil."

Indeed, he does come from humble roots. His father made a living tending a farm in southern India. Perhaps it explains why Gowda is attuned to the concerns of India's rural population.

"Unless due share is given to rural people, and the villages are going to be given due share with regards to providing basic amenities, then there will be no real fruits to enjoy," Gowda said, stressing his commitment to Indian farmers. (255K AIFF or WAV sound)

Gowda was the man who became prime minister by default when two contenders from his United Front declined to take the job. Before he became prime minister, he was the chief minister of the south Indian state of Karnataka, whose capital, Bangalore, is known as the Silicon Valley of India.

Man of the times

Gowda's rise to the nation's top job symbolizes the upward mobility that Indian democracy allows. It also reflects India's changing political culture. Urban upper-class Brahmins ruled India for a half-century. But now, regional interests and lower castes are moving center-stage.

Gowda's heart may be with rural India but, politically, he is a pragmatist. That was demonstrated when a farm lobby attacked the American fast food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken in Bangalore last year. Despite his pro-farm bias, Gowda arrested the farm leaders and provided police protection to KFC.

"To protect the life and property of the people is the primary concern of the state government," he explained.

Mastering the compromise

Gowda has a knack for getting his own way while appearing to please everybody. Asked how he will lead India, he said, "I will try to come out with concrete proposals of the new government after consulting with my friendly parties on all these vital issues." (119K AIFF or WAV sound)

Gowda's pragmatism and skill for forging compromise will be needed in his new role as prime minister. He leads the 13-member United Front, a shaky coalition with conflicting ideologies and priorities. His minority government also depends on the long-dominant Congress Party for survival.

Political realities dictate that Gowda must contend with two back-seat drivers: Congress Party leader and former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao and the uncrowned king of his United Front, V.P. Singh, also a former prime minister.

For a man who began by helping his father grow cereal grains on a tiny farm, Deve Gowda has come a long way. The question now is how far he will go.

Related stories:

• Pivotal Elections: India
• Coalition leader to be India's prime minister - May 29, 1996
• India's prime minister resigns after 13 days - May 28, 1996

Related site:

• Interview with Deve Gowda

Related newsgroup:

• soc.culture.indian

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