By Ruma Dubey

The first Press Conference in three years and the third one in nine and half years. Wow! At a time when we all live in an era of constant communication, this gap by the PM, Dr.Manmohan Singh is unpardonable. We all know the significance of communication and it is sad that the PM did not think it was necessary to keep in touch; not even one Press Conference each year? Now that is arrogance or complete disinterest in keeping the people informed or staying connected with people?

The good part is that the PM stuck to his achievements, successes; at least he did not get into obvious self congratulatory rhetorics. He maintained a dignity befitting a leader and that is something we should always remember this PM for and maybe the other ‘aspiring’ leaders should learn from. The electronic media will now go ballistic about the Modi remark; but that too came after being provoked unlike other leaders, whose speeches are only about putting down others.

Though what is unacceptable is that he failed to talk about his failure; he gave no direct answers on corruption; is he not answerable being the head of the country. He went to great lengths to clear his name but all along, he refused to accept that the buck stops with him. The PM headed the coal allocation; so how could be not take responsibility?

There was much brouhaha that the PM was going to announce his retirement today and announce the new PM candidate’s name. But no such luck. The suspense continues – Dr.Singh will continue as PM till elections and the new PM candidate name will be announced at the ‘right time’.  On Rahul Gandhi, he was cautious and noncommittal, giving out nothing. But by saying that Rahul had “outstanding credentials to be the PM”, what credentials was he talking about? The surname?

Overall, the PM’s conference might not go down too well. His wishy-washy answers on all core issues – economy, inflation, corruption, will not cut ice. Despite the long Press Conference and unending questions, none of us are smarter today, no questions have been answered. So it would be right to say that nine years ago, the PM was a bureaucrat and not a politician but today, nine and half years later, he is a full fledged  politician.  As an economist, he did not have credible answers even for inflation?

Well, if the UPA had hoped that the Press Conference will help it regain lost ground, it did not. It only went on to reiterate the disenchantment of the people with the Congress and increase the following for AAP and Modi.

2014 elections will be won or lost on corruption and inflation issues. Sadly, the Congress and the PM seem to have lost touch with what people really want. Maybe that is why the PM should have had Press Conferences at regular intervals….