Round The States

New Delhi, 7 August 2014

Mizo Governor Sacked

SERIOUS CHARGES OR VENDETTA?

By Insaf

The sacking of Mizoram Governor Kamla Beniwal has raised many an eyebrow. The big question doing the rounds is whether the Modi Government is indulging in political vendetta/witch-hunt? So it appears, given the much-publicised running battles Beniwal as Governor of Gujarat had with Modi, the State’s then Chief Minister over the Lokayukta and some important legislations. Add to this, the fact that Beniwal, who was a former Congress leader of Rajasthan, was shifted a month before from Ahmedabad to Aizwal and her tenure was to come to an end in two months—October. So where was the urgency to remove her? Wonder how much ice the Government’s explanation that there was “no politics involved”, there were “serious allegations’ against her and action was taken according to law and the Constitution would cut amongst the political circles. Leaked reports suggest that Beniwal misused her office to fly to her home town in Rajasthan and that she indulged in activities, (land scam) leading to private gains. Both the Gujarat and Rajasthan Governments were probing the allegations and had sent their report to the centre. However, to play safe President Mukherjee is learnt to have sought the Attorney General’s opinion before issuing the communique asking the Governor of Manipur to discharge the functions until regular arrangements are made.

Beniwal is the second Governor to be shown the door since the BJP-led NDA Government came to power. Former Congress RS MP and Puducherry Lt Governor Virendra Kataria was sacked last month, after a year of being in office. In fact, with the change in regime at the Centre, at least nine governors were asked to step down ‘verbally’. Two Governors, B L Joshi of Uttar Pradesh and M K Narayanan of West Bengal did oblige. A third, Vakkom Purushothaman resigned but in protest against his being shifted from Mizoram to Nagaland without consulting him. He charged the Centre of playing politics with the Constitutional post. Some others, such as Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan and Kerala Governor Sheila Dikshit have dug in their heels on strength of a Supreme Court order which disallows a new political dispensation at the Centre from dismissing a Governor from office without valid reasons. At best, a Governor, can only be transferred during the pendency of his term. This perhaps explains Beniwal’s short transfer before the final blow, which the Opposition has termed as ‘political vendetta’ and ‘vindictive’. How many other Governors face the axe and how soon, should be worth a watch.  

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Maharashtra Deal

Maharashtra’s Congress-NCP ruling alliance is intact. Public posturing of going their separate ways has been put behind with both Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and her counterpart Sharad Pawar agreeing to fight the Assembly elections again together. However, this is only round one. Many more will follow to resolve the seat sharing formula, which has caused fissures in the relationship, since the Lok Sabha polls. The NCP has in particular been in an aggressive mood after it won 4 against Congress 2 in the State’s 48 seats. It has been clamouring for a 50:50 sharing formula for the 288 seats. The Congress has said a clear no-go. In the last election, as the NCP had contested 114 seats it may only add a few more. Fortunately, for the Congress its peeved Industries minister Narayan Rane has returned to the party fold, taking away a talking point from the NCP. However, the going is bound to be tough. Not only does the alliance have to deal with the anti-incumbency factor but the ‘Modi juggernaut’ across the country. The two should tread cautiously in the next rounds to ensure their stubbornness on seat-sharing doesn’t add to the over-confidence of the BJP-Shiv Sena combine of coming back to power. 

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Delhi Assembly Fate

The nagging suspense over Delhi Assembly elections should be over in five weeks. The Supreme Court has directed the Centre and Lt Governor Jung to stop being vague and make up its mind –“either the existing House must function or a new one must be elected.” Its observations were terse that neither party was in a position to form a government; salaries were being paid to elected members whereas they don't do any work; why should people suffer? The Centre must be ready with its reasons for the choice it makes. Jung cannot keep the House in suspended animation, unless he has either of the parties, the BJP, Congress and AAP staking claim. But that is not happening. Besides, he must have good reason for seeking extension of President’s rule for another six months, which is the likely scenario. While he prepares his case, the BJP too should make up its mind whether it can gobble up a majority or would prefer to go for the battle of the ballot. As of now, it would be wary of elections, as sought by AAP. Rising prices could play spoilsport and make a dent in the “Modi” euphoria. It sees better chances after the ensuing Maharashtra and Haryana elections, where it hopes to do well. Thus, Delhi polls may have to wait till February. Till then, the House should be dissolved so that taxpayers’ money doesn’t get wasted in MLAs salaries!   

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Uttarakhand Cong Boost

Uttarakhand’s panchayat polls should help the Congress keep its spirits high. The BJP has been stopped from making further inroads into the State, after the General elections when it grabbed all five seats. Not only was the ruling Congress able to win all three Assembly seats, (two earlier held by the BJP) for which byelections were recently held, but has won the elections for the chairman of Zilla Parishad. Importantly, while the Congress-supported candidates tasted victory for the post in nine districts, the contestants with BJP backing managed to win only in two districts. Further, two of the BJP rebels who moved to the Congress also came out victorious. This should worry the BJP as the elections may well be a pointer that there could be a sense of disillusionment setting in at the grass-root level. Surely, it must be stopped before it reaches other States.

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Dark India

After 67 years of Independence, eight crore households across States and over 40 crore have no electricity! This is no allegation but an admission of the sorry state of affairs by none other than the Government in Parliament. Replying to a question on electrification of villages, Power Minister Piyush Goyal revealed that the total number of un-electrified villages in the country today stood at 12,468, and of these the highest was in Bihar, 6,882 villages, followed by Odisha, 3,144 and 1,009 villages in Assam. With members from Bihar, Rajasthan, Telangana voicing their concern particularly of farmers and many districts having to go without electricity, the minister expressed helplessness. Being a concurrent subject, it is for the State Government’s to implement the schemes sanctioned by the Centre. He also regretted that though a substantive amount of funds have been allotted to all States under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana, the implementation in many States is tardy due to various reasons. However, he gave the States hope that the Government was committed to provide electricity to every household. A tall order indeed! By when, is the moot question.

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)