Among the many unique phrases in Indian politics, a particularly widely used one is “High Command” (HC) or “Aala Kaman”, meaning individual(s) at the apex of a political party. It’s a term that originated with Indira Gandhi, the famously dictatorial Congress chief, who sacked state chief ministers a staggering 50 times in her prime ministerial tenure. Almost four decades after Indira, this HC model dominates not just in Congress and BJP, but across parties.
But events in Gujarat and Punjab last week show stark differences in the contemporary HCs of BJP and Congress. The power of HC emanates directly from its ability to win elections. If the leader is a vote-catcher, whatever his or her ideology, the party falls in line, dissent is quelled and the flock sticks together.
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