Chitrabhanu Kadalayil is deputy comment editor at The National
May 16, 2023
The term “high-command culture” might be peculiar to most people around the world, but it is a regular staple in the jargon of Indian politics. Broadly speaking, it refers to any system in which those holding the highest offices within an organisation, along with their coterie of advisers, make all the decisions on its behalf.
In India’s large, multiparty democratic system of governance, high-command culture has been a serious challenge for decades. Despite the system as a whole being democratic, parties themselves form their positions and strategies through other means. Much of the work is done through the consensus of leaders rather than members, sometimes aided by rigorous polling – whether it is appointing office bearers, building organisations, planning and implementing election strategies, preparing manifestos, or even tinkering with party ideology.
Most Indian political parties didn’t start off this way. But whatever democratic norms existed were gradually dispensed with, often coinciding with the rise of a dynasty or a charismatic leader. In India, a vast number of mainstream parties are led by powerful families; for example, the Indian National Congress – the party that led the freedom movement – is essentially a family firm run by the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty. The Bharatiya Janata Party, meanwhile, is led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose popularity has given him and his aides the power to reshape the party.
High-command culture’s limitations resurfaced in a very public way last weekend, when the BJP experienced them first-hand in the Karnataka state assembly election. The party had based its election strategy on the charisma of one leader, and it was roundly defeated by Congress as a result. Unable to fight the election on locally relevant matters, such as corruption and unemployment, the BJP focused on wedge issues. Instead of banking on local and regional leaders during the campaign, notably former chief minister BS Yediyurappa, there was an overreliance on Mr Modi and other leaders from New Delhi. Congress, on the other hand, ran a smart campaign with a manifesto of pledges targeting some of the most afflicted sections of Karnataka’s diverse and complex polity. The Gandhi family let two of the party’s strongest leaders from the state, Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar, spearhead the campaign. It made all the difference.
Bharatiya Janata Party workers and supporters with masks of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gather during a road rally in Bengaluru. AFP
In the BJP, the high command is strong and regional leaders are relatively weak, while in Congress it’s the opposite
Mr Yediyurappa, a regional satrap with a loyal and sizeable vote bank of his own, might have made it a closer contest had he been allowed to lead the BJP campaign. Instead, he is one of several leaders in the party who appears to have been sidelined for mostly political reasons. The party that once prided itself for having a large stable of powerful regional leaders – including Mr Modi himself, when he was chief minister of Gujarat state – has gone in a distinctly different direction.
The party’s centralising instincts in recent years have coincided with the gradual replacement of established leaders with newer, less experienced ones who have struggled to adequately fill their shoes. Karnataka is one of several case studies illustrating this trend, with the rise of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma being exceptions to the rule.
Generational change takes time of course, but surely the BJP high command should be giving its state units greater sway in choosing their leaders. And while a lack of inner-party democracy predates the Modi era – all of the six party presidents since 2002 have been handpicked by consensus – at least Congress can say it held an albeit rare election to pick its current president.
It is easy to see why the BJP relies so heavily on Mr Modi. He has led the party to two thumping general election victories, and on a handful of occasions helped his colleagues win state elections in very difficult circumstances. But the issue is whether the BJP has become a victim of its tallest leader’s success. How long can it hang on to his coattails – and when he eventually retires, who will be good enough to replace him? Congress’s own example should be a cautionary tale.
The so-called grand old party is facing a slightly different problem today: it is run by a dynasty that remains hugely popular across the country but is much less effective as a vote catcher than it used to be. Gone are the days, for example, when former prime minister Indira Gandhi was so powerful she could win even a “lamppost election” (if Congress fielded a lamppost in a state election, the legend goes, the lamppost would win, for the vote would be cast in Mrs Gandhi’s name).
The current generation’s stubborn perch at the apex of the party, partly an outcome of name recall and partly its ability to raise funds for it, has meant that few other leaders today are capable of helming Congress, or are given the opportunity to do so. On the flipside, their comparative electoral weakness over the past 25 years has resulted in a number of rebellions across state units.
Indira Gandhi with K Kamaraj and Gulzarilal Nanda after her election as leader of the Congress party in 1966. Getty Images
Today, state governments in Bengal and Andhra Pradesh, among others, are run by regional party leaders who were once among Congress’s most powerful regional satraps before they became disillusioned with the Gandhis and their high-command culture. Several others, meanwhile, have joined the BJP over the years and gone on to secure plum positions in union and state cabinets.
Conversely, the family's relative weakness has given it less bandwidth to resolve bitter infighting in the state units of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, where Congress is in power, just months before elections are due. It must be said, however, that they have so far handled the dilemma of who should become chief minister of Karnataka – Mr Siddaramaiah or Mr Shivakumar – with the care it deserves.
Nonetheless, there is a power imbalance in two of India’s largest parties: in the BJP, the high command is strong and regional leaders are relatively weak, while in Congress, which still has strong regional leaders, it’s the opposite. This imbalance is the unfortunate outcome of a lack of inner-party democracy and can be resolved by reviving the institutions that were integral to these organisations at the foundational level. Top-heavy regional parties should take note, too.
Failing to do so will take away any incentive millions of young and aspirational citizens have to join politics. Moreover, the power imbalances within parties could, over the longer term, affect governance and undermine the very idea of federalism. India is a union of states, after all, with the right balance between the union and the states being of vital importance.
if you go
The flights
Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
The hotel
Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
The tour
Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
How The Debt Panel's advice helped readers in 2019
JL, a housewife from India, wrote to us about her husband, who died earlier this month. He left behind an outstanding loan of Dh240,000 and she was hoping to pay it off with an insurance policy he had taken out. She also wanted to recover some of her husband’s end-of-service liabilities to help support her and her son.
“I have no words to thank you for helping me out,” she wrote to The Debt Panel after receiving the panellists' comments. “The advice has given me an idea of the present status of the loan and how to take it up further. I will draft a letter and send it to the email ID on the bank’s website along with the death certificate. I hope and pray to find a way out of this.”
SL, a financial services employee from India, left the UAE in June after quitting his job because his employer had not paid him since November 2018. He owes Dh103,800 on four debts and was told by the panellists he may be able to use the insolvency law to solve his issue.
SL thanked the panellists for their efforts. "Indeed, I have some clarity on the consequence of the case and the next steps to take regarding my situation," he says. "Hopefully, I will be able to provide a positive testimony soon."
MS, an energy sector employee from South Africa, left the UAE in August after losing his Dh12,000 job. He was struggling to meet the repayments while securing a new position in the UAE and feared he would be detained if he returned. He has now secured a new job and will return to the Emirates this month.
“The insolvency law is indeed a relief to hear,” he says. "I will not apply for insolvency at this stage. I have been able to pay something towards my loan and credit card. As it stands, I only have a one-month deficit, which I will be able to recover by the end of December."
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples. Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts. Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
Where to buy art books in the UAE
There are a number of speciality art bookshops in the UAE.
In Dubai, The Lighthouse at Dubai Design District has a wonderfully curated selection of art and design books. Alserkal Avenue runs a pop-up shop at their A4 space, and host the art-book fair Fully Booked during Art Week in March. The Third Line, also in Alserkal Avenue, has a strong book-publishing arm and sells copies at its gallery. Kinokuniya, at Dubai Mall, has some good offerings within its broad selection, and you never know what you will find at the House of Prose in Jumeirah. Finally, all of Gulf Photo Plus’s photo books are available for sale at their show.
In Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi has a beautiful selection of catalogues and art books, and Magrudy’s – across the Emirates, but particularly at their NYU Abu Dhabi site – has a great selection in art, fiction and cultural theory.
In Sharjah, the Sharjah Art Museum sells catalogues and art books at its museum shop, and the Sharjah Art Foundation has a bookshop that offers reads on art, theory and cultural history.
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
Tips for avoiding trouble online
Do not post incorrect information and beware of fake news
Do not publish or repost racist or hate speech, yours or anyone else’s
Do not incite violence and be careful how to phrase what you want to say
Do not defame anyone. Have a difference of opinion with someone? Don’t attack them on social media
Do not forget your children and monitor their online activities
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.