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The behind-the-scenes action in the Congress for the privilege of speaking on the Indo-US nuclear deal in Parliament packed more punch than the debate itself. Like pieces on a chessboard, it moved to a meticulous plan. And the prize went to Abhishekh Manu Singhvi, who was chosen against all odds as the opening batsman for the party in the Rajya Sabha. Veterans like Satyavrat Chaturvedi, Janardhan Dwivedi and Rashid Alvi (who was given the honour during the monsoon session) were left gasping, beaten by a first-time MP with smarter networking skills. They complained all right, but no one was listening. Forget them. Sonia Gandhi, too, was stumped, outguessed by players who were five moves ahead of others.

She sat with a furrowed brow next to the PM and Pranab Mukherjee through the debate in the Lok Sabha, surprised perhaps by the choice of a rank novice on nuclear matters — Adhir Chaudhary, as a speaker for the Congress. Hearing Chaudhary yammer on about India’s brain power and other such cliches, she turned to the PM and asked who would be initiating the debate for the party in the Rajya Sabha the next day. The PM demurred and looked at Mukherjee, who replied that Singhvi had been chosen to do the honours. Surprised, Gandhi suggested someone more senior should speak.

Why not Karan Singh, she asked. Mukherjee shrugged and produced a refusal letter from Singh. He wrote that since he was just back from Japan (where he had gone in his capacity as president of the Indian Council of Cultural Relations, to inaugurate the Festival of India), he was not in a position to put in the kind of research required to speak on such a serious matter. Instead, he recommended, Singhvi should be given an opportunity.

Who could say anything after that? Knowing the way Gandhi’s mind works, it was a cinch. They were ready with answers to questions that had not been put, yet but were bound to be asked. So Singhvi it was, despite the outcry. Congress circles attribute it to the goodwill of a certain media house that’s emerged as the centre of gravity for an influential coterie which everyone’s scrambling to join.

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The skullduggery was rather amusing, because the nuclear issue was pretty much dead by the time the winter session rolled around. After almost bringing down the government in the summer, the CPI(M) has backed off. The Left’s new strategy: it’s better to serve as a watchdog and monitor the fine print than fight the inevitable. Notice the speakers the CPI(M) put up for the debate. In the Lok Sabha, it was Roop Chand Pal who reduced the whole thing to a farce by laughing at his own jokes. In the Rajya Sabha, Sitaram Yechury let the government off the hook, saying his party would wait for the 123 agreement before passing judgement.

Actually, the government is not unhappy at the criticism coming from the Left, Right and the scientific establishment. It helps to counter US pressure and keeps both the Bush Administration and the US Congress on their toes. Every time the PM speaks to Bush on the issue, he harps on Indian public sentiment. Just like we have to learn to tackle the US system, Washington is learning to deal with a flourishing democracy outside the developed world. India is not Pakistan, as the US surely must have understood by now. Long live parliamentary debates!

Email: a_jerath@dnaindia.net