Round The States

New Delhi, 14 August 2014

Challenge BJP

REGIONAL SATRAPS ‘UNITE’!

By Insaf

A joint front against the formidable BJP is doing the rounds in many States. Regional parties, which were arch enemies, are now seen reaching out to each other to nix the BJP juggernaut since General Elections. Be it Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka or Maharashtra the rivals are burning the midnight oil to put up a united front. For starters, Bihar has taken the lead with a ‘grand alliance’ of Congress, RJD, JD(U) for the ensuing 10 Assembly byelections. However, after 23 long years, the coming together of arch rivals Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar at a Hajipur rally failed to draw the crowds. Obviously, many would be cynical about this new found bonhomie. How much ice it would cut eventually would be worth a watch as of the 10 seats, six are held by the BJP, three by RJD and a solitary one by JD(U). Obviously, there were few takers for this new bhaichara. However, the political realignment in Bihar is seeing counterparts in Uttar Pradesh thinking on similar lines. The Rashtriya Lok Dal, the Congress are learnt to be gravitating towards the ruling Samajwadi Party, which has stumped many. More so, as SP leader has gone to the extent of saying that he wouldn’t be averse to forging a joint front even with arch rival BSP, if Lallu Yadav is the mediator!    

Mercifully, BSP supremo Mayawati has clearly dismissed the idea. Her reasoning is worth a mention: “For the Yadavs power comes first. And for me, my self-respect!”  Behenji couldn’t have hit the nail harder. Rather, she has brought home the reality that parties cannot keep changing partners and give up their ideology. But the message seems to have got lost, at least for now in Karnataka. The anti-BJP clamour has found arch rivals Congress and JD (S) coming together for the bypolls in Shikaripur, Shimoga. Laughable, considering the two are seen bickering with each other every day. In Maharashtra, while the NCP-Congress alliance was announced to be intact, the two are having problems already, with the latter saying it might even go alone. However, with little choice of finding other partners, the two are facing an awkward situation. Some of its sitting MLAs are leaving their respective parties and joining the BJP or the Shiv Sena, looking for greener pastures. At its end, the BJP is all set for the big challenge. Who will have the last laugh?  

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Telangana-Centre Tension

The Telangana-Centre fight over the Governor’s power is unlikely to ebb soon. With Parliament session over, TRS Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao will not find it easy to get ready support from other States. Rather, he may find himself on the back foot, as there were few in the Lok Sabha who supported his MPs when they raised a ruckus over the Centre’s move to impose ‘Governor rule-like situation’. This is so because while Telangana has rubbished the Home Ministry’s letter giving Governor ESL Narasimhan the final say in matters of law and order for the common capital of Hyderabad, the Centre in its defence has simply quoted clauses of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, which give those very powers! How is it then ‘unconstitutional’ or against the “federal spirit”, is the Centre’s googly. And, to top it, KCR was a signatory to the Bill and should have objected then. As of now, it looks that the Home Ministry will not be withdrawing the advisory. How can we go against the Act, is Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s justification. Nevertheless, he has agreed to meet the MPs next week. Will a solution be found? Sooner the better.

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MP Lokayukta Row

The Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta finds himself in an unsavoury controversy. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh’s Chouhan decision to extend Lokayukta PP Naolekar’s term by a year, nine months before his term was to expire has got the opposition Congress up in arms. It has petitioned Governor Ramnath Yadav to intercede, as the party alleges there has been an unethical quid pro quo. It accuses the Lokayukta of not only closing dozen-odd cases of corruption against ministers and ex-ministers of the ruling party, but giving a clean chit to Chouhan and his wife in the ‘dumper case”, wherein the two were alleged to have got favours from an industrial house in lieu of giving a mining lease. The Lokayukta’s ruling, however, found favour with the lower and high court. Be that as it may, the Congress insists on getting its disagreement put on record on grounds that the leader of the Opposition was not consulted as per the rules and the extension was unconstitutional. The big question is will Madhya Pradesh see the Lokayukta battle being dragged to the courts, like the infamous one in Gujarat? Or will the Congress just cry wolf?  

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J&K On BJP Radar

Jammu & Kashmir is pleasantly high on the BJP’s agenda, despite its negligible presence in the Valley.  Obviously, it has an eye on the ensuing Assembly elections and Modi has wasted no time in kicking off the BJP’s campaign with his visit to Ladakh--the second to the State since taking over as Prime Minister. In the beautiful backdrop of Leh, while he expectedly spoke of development, employment, road connectivity etc, in Delhi Home Minister Rajnath Singh promised to ensure the return of the three-lakh odd Kashmiri Pandits to their homeland. He informed Lok Sabha that the Government had already allocated Rs 5000 crore for their return, had a blueprint in place and that he appeals for a Parliament resolution for getting them justice. Clearly, the BJP is upbeat with its performance in the General Elections, not only winning 3 of the six State Lok Sabha seats, including Ladakh for the first time, but emerging with the largest single vote share, ahead of the National Conference and the People Democratic Party. Add to this, the recent NC-PDP fallout for the coming polls. However, while it may do well in the Jammu, Udhampur and Ladakh region, Kashmir looks to be a no-go in the 87-member Assembly. ‘Mission 44 plus’ looks tough, but not impossible.

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Rajasthan Bhamashah Scheme

Rajasthan is on the move to double its efforts to expand the “Government at Your Doorstep” programme. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje’s pet scheme, ‘Bhamashah Yojna’ -- financial inclusion for the needy is being much publicised in the State. Enrolment camps are to come up across the State for giving out ‘Bhamashah cards,’ which shall ensure that public welfare schemes actually reach out to the poor, there is no short change in the delivery system, schematic benefits are converted to cash benefits, empower women finally among other benefits. The Government hopes to cut down on wastage and check aid from going into the wrong hands. Indeed, Raje has sought to make good use of the Aadhar card and direct benefit transfer schemes as 65 per cent of the populations has already been covered under these. The scheme is named after a General of Maharana Pratap, making it sound different. Will it be so? ----INFA

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