Governance is a Relay Race, not a Sprint
Conventions, Best and Next Practices Breathe
Life into Democracy and
Symbolize Constitutional
Morality
Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao
The Hans India
(31-08-2025 and 07-09-2025)
{The greatness of any opposition
lies in the responsive use of its experience and recognizing that, the
responsibility of leadership does not end when power slips away. Their
experience should never be wasted in bitterness or in blind criticism}-Synoptic
Note by Editor
Welfare Schemes, Irrigation,
Power, and other Capital-Intensive Projects, Expressways, Urban Infrastructure
etc. can never be ‘Personal Trophies’ of one CM or PM, and instead they
are people’s assets.
Citing few faults, here
and there, whether genuine or insignificant, irrespective of well meaningful
intentions of those who conceived and created them, blaming Lock, stock, and
barrel, amounts to demolishing the very faith of Citizens in Governance. When a
successor Government treats its predecessor as an enemy to be erased and as a
nuisance to be silenced, democracy shrinks into a majoritarian ritual.
Telangana Deputy CM
Bhatti Vikramarka while announcing the dedication of the 4000 MW Yadadri
Thermal Power Plant, to the nation by January next year, deserving complements,
instead of praising, criticized former CM KCR that, the project was delayed by
two years due to the ‘Negligence of BRS Government.’ Likewise, CM
Revanth Reddy instead of appreciating, blamed his predecessor K Chandrashekhar
Rao (KCR), while alleging that, he had restricted total reservations in the
state to 50 percent, that became hurdle for 42 percent reservation for BCS.
Notwithstanding the
veracity in these statements, the fact and the irrevocable contemporary history
was that, KCR laid the foundation stone for the Yadadri Thermal Power Plant
utilizing ‘Supercritical Technology’ on 8 June 2015.
Work on Unit One commenced
on December 31, 2023. Similarly, when ‘Telangana
BCs, SCs, and STs Reservation Bill’ was passed in Assembly on April 16,
2017, KCR ‘Unequivocally Asserted the Rights of the State’ in
reservations, making it amply clear that, the data is ‘Quantifiable and
Impeccable’ as per the Apex Court Judgement for enhancing percentage beyond
50 percent Cap. KCR initiated the process to enhance BCs overall quota. I was the CPRO to CM at that point.
As against these, when
Telangana IT Minister D Sridhar Babu invited OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to establish
his office in Hyderabad, for which Altman in his post on X announced the
company’s decision to open its first India office, BRS Working President KTR
has struck a positive chord across the nation with non-partisan, state-first
approach in welcoming OpenAI CEO to Hyderabad. This statesmanship in welcoming OpenAI,
despite it being Revanth Reddy Government’s initiative, has drawn Nationwide
praise.
Democratic practices,
conventions, deviations, and conformities by succeeding governments, regarding
policies, schemes, and programs of predecessor, should preferably be in tune
with policy continuity, ensuring stability and predictability. ‘Long-Term
Infrastructure Projects’ and ‘Social Welfare Measures’ benefiting
vulnerable sections need to be generally sustained beyond illogical political
considerations.
Constitutional
Provisions unless otherwise supported by ‘Well Laid Established Conventions,
Best and Next Practices and Past Experiences’ have absolutely no value.
Convention is an accepted concept that refers to the way or manner of doing
things by those people who are expected to do those things.
For effective nourishment
of Parliamentary Democracy, the existence of a ‘Silent Constitution beyond
the Written one-the Conventions’ that endures trust, continuity, and
civility is essential. These are born in conversations, consultations, and
willingness to convince or get convinced. The best course should be that, each
successor had paused to consult the predecessor, in private candour. Mistakes if
any could be corrected, resources saved, and progress uninterrupted.
Democracy flourishes in
consensus, that respectfully listens to the voice of those who once held office
and values their wisdom. Nevertheless, the
predecessor CM or PM, being in the opposition, too has moral and responsible duty.
The greatness is not constant open criticism but mature guidance, offering
closed-door advice before open denunciation, using experience as an asset
rather than a weapon.
When both ‘Rulers
and Rivals Embrace’ by this unwritten law of conventions, democracy rises
above partisan quarrel. Consensus, the true spirit of democracy lies in giving
space to other’s view, and that cultivation happens only when Governments
listen with humility, Opposition speaks with responsibility, and both sides
recognize that the state’s progress is larger than their partisan triumphs.
‘Consensus born out
of Conventions and Respectful Consultations’ is the only durable path
forward. ‘Unwritten Conventions, Conversations, Consultations, and readiness
to Convince or get Convinced sustains True Democracy.’ Consultations are
affirmations of respect for those who came before, who differ, and represent
voices outside the ruling majority.
Constitution gives a
structure, but conventions give it character. Leaders must engage in meaningful
conversations instead of partisan monologues and acknowledge that ‘Governance
is not Contest of Egos’ but a ‘Shared Responsibility.’
Democratic continuity
is not achieved by erasing the past, but by ‘Conscientiously Building on it;’
not by claiming monopoly of wisdom, but by weaving together many strands of
thought into a common fabric. Equally important is the role of those who once
held power, obviously possessing insights, lessons, and even confessions that
could enrich the policy-making of their successors. Instead, if they confine to
reactive role of fault-finders, condemning everything a new government does,
whether good or bad, but not proactive engagement, then it leads to un healthy
practice. Why not a closed-door advice on what worked during their tenure,
candid sharing of mistakes made if any, and suggestions for rectification?
Each Government
dismantling what the other built, and each Opposition ridiculing what it once
defended, or successor initiated, it results in a vicious circle. The greatness
of Opposition lies in the responsive use of its experience and recognizing
that, the responsibility of leadership does not end when power slips away. Their
experience should never be wasted in bitterness or in blind criticism. The true
spirit of dissent lies in correcting. Likewise, every incoming government should
consult its predecessor before Tampering with any Capital-Intensive Project
and before indulging in wholesale criticism. ‘Governance is a Relay Race,
not a Sprint.’
For instance, Kaleshwaram
Project, the ‘World's Largest Multi-Stage, Multi-Purpose, Lift Irrigation
Project on River Godavari’ which was inaugurated with grandeur on June 21, 2019,
at its starting point in Medigadda, was showcased with pride as a ‘Marvel
that Would Transform Barren Lands.’ Telangana Governor ESL Narasimhan, CM KCR,
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, AP CM YS Jaganmohan Reddy participated in the
inauguration. However, when few technical flaws emerged, cracks appeared,
literal and figurative, the succeeding dispensation discovered that, every nut
and bolt was conspiracy. Instead of quietly eliciting possible clarifications
and planning rectification from former CM KCR, who conceived the Project, he
was criticized loudly by Congress Leaders.
The tragedy of politics
is the immaturity of treating ‘Governance as a Private Quarrel.’
Projects worth thousands of crores become weapons in the political blame game.
Leaders who laid foundation stones watch successors gleefully abandon them. Ordinary
people including farmers pay the price. And hence, Conventions of continuity
and consultation are precisely the forms of constitutional morality that must be
cultivated.
Governments may change,
but people remain. Rulers may change, but the people do not. The choice is to evolve
conventions where every government, however different, becomes custodian of the
same dream of a stronger, harmonious, and truly democratic state. The real
message is simple yet profound: ‘Development Projects are not Private Assets’
to be ‘Discarded Like Broken Toys.’ They are lifelines that belong to
generations. If conventions of ‘Continuity, Consultation, and Consensus’
were to take root, ‘Managerial Politics would Graduate to Mature Statesmanship.’
In the evolution of
democracy, there comes a moment when the written word of law seems insufficient
to capture the larger spirit of Governance. ‘Conventions, Best and Next Practices
Breathe Life into Democracy’ and build trust in Governance. Nurturing such
conventions is not merely desirable but imperative. Political vendetta played
out through halted projects and dismantled welfare nets is undesirable.
The wisdom to be, to treat
‘Governance as a Baton passed from Hand to Hand’ rather than as a ‘Weapon
to Strike Opponents.’ India must now cultivate conventions, continuity in
development, consultation on people’s schemes, consensus on projects, until
they become more binding than the text of the Constitution itself.
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