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This time Nehru cannot just rewind his toy to get him past his election battle. As Defense Minister, Menon bears a large part of the responsibility for Red China's successful incursions along India's northern frontier—the hottest issue in the campaign. He also stands for the doctrinaire left-wing socialism that has come increasingly under attack by conservatives.
Beyond India's foreign and economic policy, a more subtle question is raised by the election: Can a strong opposition take root and flourish in India?
Dhoti Democracy. For 77 years, the Congress Party has been the most influential Indian political organization, today controls 373 seats in the Lok Sabha. In the years of the British raj, Congress kindled the fires of independence, gathered under its banners peasants, landowners, untouchables, maharajahs, Communists, capitalists, liberals and reactionaries. Only the massive national appeal of Mahatma Gandhi and the united determination to oust Britain from India kept the catchall party together. But the Congress became so ingrained in the Indian consciousness that the party did not fall apart after independence came in 1947. The various elements that made it up stuck together to reap the rewards of political power. "Not a few of them cashed in heavily on freedom," says Indian Editor Frank Moraes. "For them independence has meant patriotism, plus 20%."
Most of the older Congressmen* ritualistically wear the diaperlike dhoti and white Gandhi cap to identify themselves with the dead hero. The party has a few first-rate men, but Congress politicians generally are unsophisticated, unlearned and uninspiring nonentities. After 15 years of Congress rule, the party is shot through with corruption, inefficiency and favoritism. The major problems that existed at the time of Gandhi's death are still to be solved. India's economy is a schizophrenic mixture of state and private enterprise. Religious fanaticism and factionalism remain strong, despite earnest efforts to overcome them. Poverty and illiteracy afflict the vast majority of the people, and the birth rate spirals upward at the rate of approximately 10 million new mouths to feed each year.
Despite massive discontent, the Congress Party has never really had a goad in the Lok Sabha. Disgruntled elements within Congress are loath to leave the sheltering paternalism of the party, which benevolently permits them the fruits of patronage and influence peddling. The only coherent opposition has been the Communist Party, whose influence is greater than its 30 seats in Parliament suggest. Nowadays the Communists generally support the Congress Party's left-wing candidates, including Menon, oppose only the right-wingers. Nehru has occasionally swatted the Communists for "having their thoughts outside India," but is less hard on them than on any other opposition party.
This year, a new non-Communist opposition is playing a significant part in the elections. Its chances of upsetting the government are nil, but a strong showing would stir up Congress policies and present alternatives for the future.