If nothing dramatic happens, our democratic Srocess will face a very serious crisis following le resignation of about 150 members of the parliament on 28 December. With that act. our politics will definitely take a more confrontational and violent turn. Not that it has been marked by cooperation and harmony before. But whatever little sense of tolerapce and acceptance of the others views were evident will disappear altogether. Once the opposition MPs resign, there will be no interest on their part to let the elected government continue till the end of its term. It will then try all means to create a situation which will force the government to go for an early election. The street agitation will become more fire-quent. more confrontational and more disruptive. Yes. the opposition will run the risk of alienating the people and may suffer a backlash for its action. but it is a risk the opposition will take lie-cause it will have little else to dd.

We have consistently written against the opix> sitions call for strikes, hartals and other disnip-tive programmes. We can claim to have had some, though very limited, impact. There were less and less strikes, and their duration curtailed. This was the case till the present crisis emerged. We will do so again in the future. But with the government faffing- to prevent the political crisis from happening, and after the resignation, we are doubtful whether the opposition will be in any mood to listen to sober advice.

Thus we are extremely concerned at the crisis that is staring us in the face. As if in a trance. 1 ike a people sitting with their hands and legs tied, waiting for a disaster to happen, we are moving towards the 28th. Many articles and numerous suggestions have been put forward to both sides. .Ml of them have fallen on deaf ears. We have held the view, and reiterate it on this occasion, that sufficient ground exists for a compromise, without the loss either of their 'core position, or of their face'. All we need is for the two parties to calmly take stock of the proposals at hand, and we think a way out exists within them. Now that the opposition has made it clear that the caretaker government will be in place after, and only after, the term of office of the present government expires, we think that the Prime Minister should not have any more reason to reject it. In fact we think that such an arrangement, if adopted bv consensus in the parliament, and for the next four elections, will help solve the ques-tion of free and fair election for the foreseeable future We clearly see the WAY. But is there the WILL to solve the present political crisis?