Even as Finance Minister Arun Jaitley remains away from active governance as he is recovering from a kidney transplant, the senior lawyer-politician has continued playing a role in political discourse via social media.
Whether it has been to project confidence on the Narendra Modi government's policies boosting India's economy or presenting a defence of GST implementation, Jaitley has remained in the headlines via Facebook and Twitter. But on Monday, Jaitley decided to give a political forecast via Facebook on what awaits India if an unstable “Federal Front” comes to power, as has been mulled by various parties opposed to the BJP.
Jaitley's article titled Is the Karnataka a Preview of what the Congress and the Federal Front Promise for the Future? is based on the recent emotional utterances of Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy of the compulsions of coalition politics given the alliance between his JD(S) and the Congress.
In the article, Jaitley noted the coalition situation in Karnataka was a “repeat of what the Congress did to Chaudhary Charan Singh, Shri Chandrasekhar, Shri H.D. Deve Gowda and Shri I.K. Gujral.” Jaitley adds, “It is the obvious consequence of a non-ideological opportunistic alliance with no positive agenda. The basis of the negative agenda is ‘Keep Modi Out’.”
After referring to an earlier article written in May, Jaitley argued a “great opportunity” awaits India. “We need, for the next one decade and more, a high trajectory growth. We are faced with the global challenge of terrorism and the current economic challenges thrown up by rising crude oil prices and the trade war. To confront these challenges, India needs a strong and cohesive Government.” Jaitley noted.
“It [India] needs a government which is able to resist unfair pressures of either allies or regions. It is the high growth rate, investment into rural India and the social sectors, credibility and strength of the Indian economy which will help us to be domestically strong to meet these challenges,” Jaitley said.
Jaitley referred to Kumaraswamy's confession of coalition compulsions. “In the past few days we witnessed the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri H.D. Kumaraswamy, baring his emotions with tears, wetting his eyes and declining to accept bouquets and garlands,” Jaitley noted.
Jaitley argued that “non-ideological” coalitions such as the one in Karnataka “always get trapped within their own contradictions” as their only object is their survival, not service to the nation.
Jaitley concluded by praising Modi's decisive leadership and warned the next prime minister “cannot be seen like the chief minister of Karnataka as a tragedy king. If such a coalition is a cup of poison, why even dream of inflicting it on the nation? The leader of the world’s fastest-growing economy cannot be a ‘Bechara’.”