Bhubaneswar: George Orwell has rightly said that “We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it.”

The political history of world’s largest democracy, India, is replete with episodes galore. From 1975 -2026, the country has witnessed countless episodes of politicians, sworn by democracy, ensnared by the intoxicating power-glue.

The recent episodes expand from east in West Bengal to far south in Tamil Nadu. Machinations go overdrive on how to stay clinging to power seat at any cost – be it the defiance to resign after massive defeat in just concluded elections or the talk of Dravidian unity to keep the GOAT disruptor – Vijay – out of power.

The concept of "The Seat" has remained the most potent drug in human history. Whether it is a gold-leafed throne in Pataliputra or a leather swivel chair in a modern Secretariat, the psychological refusal to let go often transcends the democratic progress of the last 75 years.

​While democracy was intended to replace the "might is right" of the sword with the "right is might" of the ballot, the underlying human impulse to retain power remains startlingly medieval.

​The Modern "Divine Right": Refusing the Mandate In Democracies

​In ancient times, a king’s power was often seen as divine; to lose it was to lose favour with the gods. In modern democracy, "The People" have replaced the gods, yet leaders often claim the "People’s Will" was stolen (Vote Chori) when the results don’t go their way.

​The 2026 West Bengal Context: Following the 2026 Assembly elections results declared and TMC losing it out badly, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has contested the legitimacy of the results, alleging large-scale rigging and bias by the Election Commission. This mirrors her 2021 stance in Nandigram, where she challenged her personal defeat to Suvendu Adhikari in the High Court despite her party winning the state. The refusal to resign following a defeat is a direct echo of the "King’s Siege" mentality—holding the fortress even when the walls have crumbled. 

​The Trump Precedent: In 2020, Donald Trump became the first US President in modern history to actively attempt to overturn election results. His insistence that the election was "stolen" culminated in the January 6 Capitol riot—a modern-day equivalent of a palace coup attempt, using rhetoric instead of cavalry. 

​The Survival Instinct: Indira Gandhi and the Emergency

​When the Allahabad High Court disqualified Indira Gandhi in 1975 for electoral malpractices, the democratic response would have been to step down. Instead, she chose the "Ancient Path": suspension of the law to protect the ruler.

​The Machination: By declaring a National Emergency, she suspended Fundamental Rights and jailed the opposition.

​Historical Parallel: This is functionally identical to Aurangzeb imprisoning his father, Shah Jahan, and executing his brothers. In both cases, the legal or traditional order was bypassed because the "survival of the ruler" was treated as synonymous with the "survival of the state."

​Ancient Blueprints of Power Retention: The tactics used today—discrediting rivals, controlling the narrative, and refusal to yield—are as old as civilization itself.

Why 75 Years of Democracy hasn't "Cured" This

​When from Mahabharat to the Mughal empire, court machinations tell a familiar story – the glue of power binds even ‘democratic’ leaders to the throne. WHY?

The "throne" offers two things democracy cannot easily regulate: Immunity and Legacy.

​Fear of Prosecution: Many leaders refuse to leave because, without the shield of office, they face "Medieval-style" consequences—legal trials or political exile.

​The Savior Complex: Like the emperors of old, many modern leaders believe they are the only ones capable of leading. This narcissism turns a "civil servant" (the democratic ideal) back into a "divine ruler."

​The Bottomline: The Ghost in the Machine

Democracy is a software, but the "hardware" is the human brain, which is still wired for tribal survival. While our laws have changed from the Arthashastra to the Constitution, the struggle for the "Gaddi" (The Seat) proves that the ghost of the medieval monarch still haunts the corridors of modern power.

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