Fashionably leftist

It has become fashionable once again in New Delhi’s power centres to be seen as a leftist because many in the Congress Party and the government believe that Congress party President Sonia Gandhi is left-of-centre, in Indira Gandhi’s mould, aiming to widen the party’s base in left-oriented states. A senior Congressman who has seen his party swing the ideological pendulum says he is amused to see ministers known for their pro-free market and pro-business views working hard to acquire a left-of-centre image to enhance their political careers. He is even more amused to see one minister avoid business journalists and give more time to “left-of-centre” journalists!