The Congress party in Meghalaya is an aging party with a chief who is well past the age of ideas, innovations and action, three of the key ingredients in firing up the zeal of party members especially before the 2013 elections. But the Congress is not the only party led by geriatrics. The Hill State Peoples’ Democratic Party (HSPDP) is also hand-held by an octogenarian who drifts between child-like slumber and suspected wakefulness throughout the day. Then there is the case of Alzheimer – an old age syndrome that human beings are subject to. Life takes a toll and those who understand this reality do not fight it but surrender in grace. Then why do political parties not learn this fundamental principle.
It is incongruous for a party looking up to Rahul Gandhi for leadership to have old people call him “Sir.” While Rahul Gandhi is pushing for a younger Congress whose members are bouncy and can burn the midnight oil when the need arises, the party in most states is led by elders who should have retired ten years ago.Take Meghalaya for instance, the state is led by a young, dynamic chief minister who seems to have the stamina of a deer but his party is unable to keep pace with his ideas. Instead of boosting his efforts those who cannot catch up with this chief minister tend to feel resentful of his doggedness to pursue his vision for Meghalaya. This is where the problem lies. We can see a perceptible difference between the performance of the younger brigade in the present cabinet of Meghalaya and that of the elderly lot. Being a legislator requires quick thinking and a lot sweating. The very act of reaching out to the constituents is a tall task and if an MLA is really doing his work he would not be able to put on weight, much less turn obese. An over-weight MLA is a sure sign that he is not pulling his weight.
The idea that age is equal to wisdom is ridiculous. A political party that is held captive by that idea cannot bring about any innovation and will certainly not be in sync with 21st century Meghalaya which is the century of youth. The youth is impatient at the pace of development in our state. They want quick results. Can political parties driven by senile geriatrics take this state forward? Political party camp followers much have the courage to tell their elders, “It’s time to retire and retire gracefully without a fight.”