The farce that has been played out with respect to HM Ershad’s participation in the upcoming election looks to have reached a conclusion with his announcement that his party will contest the polls and be part of the multi-party interim polls time government.
As in the past, the good general has played one side off against the other, has gone back on his word with neither embarrassment nor compunction, and has ended up, one presumes, with the side that offers him the better deal. No surprise, there, perhaps.
Nor is there anything intrinsically wrong with the five-yearly drama to win his political allegiance. It may be distasteful, but like it or not, his party commands millions of voters, and in a democracy, he has as much right to form alliances and demand a seat at the table as anyone else. If his status as queen-maker is something that we deplore, then it is something we need to take up with the voters who give him this power.
That said, the inclusion of the JP in the multi-party polls-time government and participation in the election is, in and of itself, little indication of the inclusiveness of the process, just as had he boycotted the proceedings (and may indeed choose to do at some future date), this should in no way have been seen as vindication of the BNP position.
In a democratic country we must respect the JP’s right to participate or not participate in elections, as it sees fit. But the capricious decision of the political chameleon at the party’s helm in no way should impact our assessment of the fitness of proceedings. That is respect he does not deserve.
