In 1962, when India was reeling from the shock of the China war, the Nehru government arrested several Communist leaders under suspicion of being “pro-China” or “anti-national.” Among them was Jyoti Basu, who decades later came close to becoming India’s Prime Minister—with Congress’s support. Another figure, Harkishen Singh Surjeet, once seen under the same cloud of suspicion, would go on to shape India’s coalition era, helping Congress form the UPA government in 2004. From “state enemies” to kingmakers, their journeys raise piercing questions about ideological consistency, political morality, and the opportunism of both Congress and the Communist Left. Why did the same Congress that jailed them later depend on them for power? Why did the same Left that rejected the system become its most skilled negotiator? 🧩 The story of Basu and Surjeet reminds us that in Indian politics, yesterday’s dissidents can easily become today’s dealmakers—and history’s ironies run deep. #🌐 राष्ट्रीय अपडेट #🌄 मेरी आज की सुबह #🔴 क्राइम अपडेट