The Hindu Business Line : After ten bouts, two veterans hang up the glove

Hyderabad: What is common to the former Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and the Speaker of the 14th (outgoing) Lok Sabha, Mr Somnath Chatterjee? Both veterans have called it a day, and sorely missed from the election, which seems short on personalities with a nationwide appeal. But the similarity ends there for, otherwise the two stalwarts are as different as two politicians from either end of the political spectrum can be.

The two gentlemen began their long political journey from extremes: Mr Vajpayee started with the right wing RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), and Mr Chatterjee from the Left. But they transcended party politics to emerge as giants on the political scene. While Mr Vajyapee’s run of over 50 years (first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1957) took him to the top-most position in the country, Mr Chatterjee ended his career as Speaker of the turbulent 14th Lok Sabha of 2004-09.

While age and poor health have forced Mr Vajpayee out of the electoral fray (which he dearly loves), bitterness with the CPI(M) General Secretary, Mr Prakash Karat, on the issue of opportunistic versus principled politics appears to have hastened the end of Mr Chatterjee’s career.

Charismatic mass leader

The moderate face of the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), Mr Vajpayee proved the prophetic words of Jawaharlal Nehru, who reportedly said of him: “This young Parliamentarian could one day become the leader of the country.” Mr Vajpayee’s moderation, political understanding and affable mannerism endeared him to people and political parties alike, across the country.

As the power of the Congress waned and the country entered the coalition governance era, Mr Vajpayee’s appeal and charisma came in handy to stitch together the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which he led to rule the country thrice, between 1996 and 2004. His government’s first term lasted a disastrous 13 days (May 1996), the second an unlucky 13 months (1998-99) and then a full term (1999-2004). Journalist, poet and social worker, Mr Vajpayee became External Affairs Minister during the Janata Party rule under Morarjee Desai (1977-80), when he made a historic speech at the UN in Hindi. He is acknowledged as one of the finest orators.

His election speeches, replete with humour, political barbs and anecdotes, would attract large crowds. In Parliament, he could be stingingly critical or bantering to ease a heated discussion. As Prime Minister, he stunned the world, especially the US, by the series of nuclear blasts in Pokhran on May 11 and 13, 1998.

Born on Christmas day of 1926, this bachelor will be the most conspicuous miss from Election 2009. More than anybody the BJP will miss him, as senior party leader, Ms Sushma Swaraj), publicly said as much.

A Principled Politician

Less than three years junior to Mr Vajpayee, Mr Somnath Chatterjee, born on July 25, 1929, was first elected to the Lok Sabha from Bolpur in West Bengal in 1971. Home to the Rabindranath Tagore-founded Shantiniketan and Viswa Bharati University, this constituency returned the highly articulate lawyer 10 times till 2004. He did face electoral loss to the ‘firebrand’ of Bengal politics, Ms Mamata Banerjee (Trinamool Congress chief) in 1984, when he contested from Jadavpur.

‘Somnathbabu,’ as he is known to close friends, was fielded as one of the main speakers by the Opposition to put the NDA on the mat during debates in the Lok Sabha (especially vote of confidence). His sound arguments commanded attention.

A stickler to Parliamentary democracy and House rules, Mr Chatterjee found his role as the Speaker of the 14th Lok Sabha demanding. “As Speaker, he was sometimes too harsh pulling up MPs and behaved like a school headmaster,” say some of his critics. But his biggest test came when the CPI(M) pulled out of the United Progressive Alliance and Mr Karat wanted the Speaker also to quit.

Taking a contrary view, Mr Chatterjee said that the Speaker did not belong to any party first. This led to his expulsion from the party — a bitter day for a man associated lifelong with the Left movement.

With delimitation of constituencies, his Bolpur seat has become a reserved constituency.