Conventions of continuity and consultation symbolize constitutional morality

The greatness of any oopposition lies in the responsive use of its experience and recognizing that, the responsibility of leadership does not end when power slips away. Their experience should never be wasted in bitterness or in blind criticism

Welfareschemes, irrigation, power and other capital-intensive projects, expressways, urban infrastructure can never be ‘personal trophies’ of any Prime Minister or Chief Minister; rather they are people’s assets.

Citing few faults here and there, whether genuine or insignificant, irrespective of well meaningful intentions of those who conceived and created them, blaming all and sundry is demolishing the very faith of citizens in governance. When a successor Government treats its predecessor as an enemy to be erased and a nuisance to be silenced, democracy shrinks into a majoritarian ritual.

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka, while announcing the dedication of the 4000 MW Yadadri Thermal Power Plant to the nation by January, deserving compliments for observing that the project was delayed by two years due to the ‘negligence of the BRS government.’ Likewise, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy instead of appreciating blamed his predecessor K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR), while alleging that he had restricted total reservations in the state to 50 per cent, that became a hurdle for implementing 42 per cent reservation for BCS.

Notwithstanding the veracity in these statements, the fact and the irrevocable contemporary history is that KCR laid the foundation stone for the Yadadri Thermal Power Plant utilizing ‘Supercritical Technology’ on June 8, 2015.

Work on unit one commenced on December 31,2023. Similarly, when ‘Telangana BCs, SCs, and STs Reservation Bill’ was passed in the Assembly on April 16, 2017, KCR ‘unequivocally asserted the rights of the state’ in reservations, making it amply clear that, the data is ‘quantifiable and impeccable’ as per the Supreme Court judgement for enhancing the percentage beyond the 50 per cent cap. KCR initiated the process to enhance BCs overall quota. I was the CPRO to the CM at that point.

As against these, when IT Minister D Sridhar Babu invited OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to establish his office in Hyderabad, for which Altman in his post on X announced the company’s decision to open its first India office, BRS working president K T Rama Rao (KTR) struck a positive chord across the nation with non-partisan, state-first approach in welcoming OpenAI CEO to Hyderabad. This statesmanship in welcoming OpenAI, despite it being Revanth Reddy Government’s initiative, has drawn nationwide praise.

Democratic practices, conventions, deviations, and conformities by succeeding governments, regarding policies, schemes, and programs of predecessor, should preferably be in tune with policy continuity, ensuring stability and predictability.

Constitutional provisions, unless otherwise supported by ‘well laid established conventions, best and next practices and past experiences’, have absolutely no value. Convention is an accepted concept that refers to the way or manner of doing things by those people who are expected to do those things.

Democracy flourishes in consensus that respectfully listens to the voice of those who held office and values their wisdom. Nevertheless, the predecessor CM or PM, being in the opposition, too has moral and responsible duty. The greatness is not constant open criticism but mature guidance, offering closed-door advice before open denunciation, using experience as an asset rather than a weapon.

When both rulers and rivals embrace’ this unwritten law of conventions, democracy rises above partisan quarrels. Consensus, the true spirit of democracy lies in giving space to others’ view, and that cultivation happens only when governments listen with humility, opposition speaks with responsibility, and both sides recognize that the state’s progress is larger than their partisan triumphs.

Constitution gives structure but conventions give it character. Leaders must engage in meaningful conversations instead of partisan monologues and acknowledge that ‘governance is not a contest of egos but a shared responsibility.’

Democratic continuity is not achieved by erasing the past, but by ‘conscientiously building on it;’ not by claiming monopoly of wisdom, but by weaving together many strands of thought into a common fabric. Equally important is the role of those who once held power, obviously possessing insights, lessons, and even confessions that could enrich the policymaking of their successors. Instead, if they confine to reactive role of faultfinders, condemning everything a new government does, whether good or bad, but not proactive engagement, then it leads to an unhealthy practice. Why not a closed-door advice on what worked during their tenure, candid sharing of mistakes made if any, and suggestions for rectification?

Each government dismantling what the other built, and each opposition ridiculing what it once defended, results in a vicious circle. The greatness of any oopposition lies in the responsive use of its experience and recognizing that, the responsibility of leadership does not end when power slips away. Their experience should never be wasted in bitterness or in blind criticism. The true spirit of dissent lies in correcting. Likewise, every incoming government should consult its predecessor before tampering with any capital-intensive project. After all, governance is a relay race, not a sprint.

For instance, Kaleshwaram project, which was inaugurated with grandeur on June 21, 2019, at its starting point in Medigadda, was showcased as a marvel that would transform barren lands.’ The then Telangana Governor ESL Narasimhan, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and AP CM Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy participated in the inauguration. However, when few technical flaws emerged, cracks appeared, literally and figurative, the succeeding dispensation discovered that every nut and bolt was a conspiracy. Instead of quietly eliciting possible clarifications and planning rectification from former KCR, who conceived the project, he was criticized by Congress leaders.

The tragedy of politics is the immaturity of treating ‘governance as a private quarrel.’ Projects worth thousands of crores become weapons in the political blame game. Leaders who laid foundation stones watch successors gleefully abandon them. Ordinary people and farmers pay the price. Hence, conventions of continuity and consultation are precisely the forms of constitutional morality that must be cultivated.

Governments may change, but people remain. Rulers may change, but the people do not. The choice is to evolve conventions where every government, however different, becomes custodian of the same dream of a stronger, harmonious, and truly democratic state. The real message is simple yet profound: Development projects are not private assets to be ‘discarded like broken toys.’ They are lifelines that belong to generations. If conventions of ‘Continuity, Consultation, and Consensus’ were to take root, ‘Managerial Politics would Graduate to Mature Statesmanship.’

In the evolution of democracy, there comes a moment when the written word of law seems insufficient to capture the larger spirit of governance. Political vendetta played out through halted projects and dismantled welfare nets is undesirable.

India must now cultivate conventions, continuity in development, consultation on people’s schemes, consensus on projects, until they become more binding than the text of the Constitution itself.