Round The States

New Delhi, 20 February 2016

Wake Up Call

BYE-POLL FORERUNNER

By Insaf

With the onset of the poll season the BJP has got off to a flying start. It has netted four seats in the Assembly bye polls held across eight States. Happily for it in Ulta-Pulta Pradesh it wrested Muzaffarnagar which was the hot bed of communal riots three years ago, from the ruling Samajwadi Party. In Karnataka the Saffron Sangh won in two of the three constituencies, retaining Bangeluru’s high-profile Hebal Assembly seat and defeated the Congress in Deva Durga. Its Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan too has every reason to preen as his Party snatched Maihar from rival Congress.

This is not all. The NDA’s victory totalled seven of twelve seats, bettering its earlier record of only four. In Maharashtra, old ally Shiv Sena kept Palghar. In Bihar and Punjab the Rashtriya Loktantrik Samajwadi Party and the Shiromani Akali Dal garnered one seat each. While the RLSP held on to Harlakhee, the Akalis triumphed over the Congress in Khadoor Saheb. Shockingly, Mulayam’s Samajwadi Party was hit hardest as it lost two of the three seats in UP. Clearly, a wake up call to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to set its house in order before the Assembly polls next year as it lost both seats in its stronghold Western UP. The Congress too is smiling as it defeated the SP in Deoband and grabbed Bidar from the Karnataka Janata Party. But its defeat in Telangana’s Narayankhed showcases that it needs to work harder. It remains to be seen whether the results are a harbinger for the battle royale next year in five States! 

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Haryana Jat Stir

Haryana’s continues to face the reservation music. The talks between Chief Minister Khattar and the Jat leaders to find a settlement of their demand for reservation in educational institutions and Government jobs failed to reach a consensus. Over 100-odd Jat leaders along with khap heads who went for talks to Khattar’s residence have now threatened to raise the momentum of their agitation and take it to New Delhi, Najafgarh and Uttar Pradesh, instead of the State. Apparently, the Government’s offer of including the Jats and four other castes - Jat Sikhs, Ror, Tyagi and Bishnoi - in the Economically Backward Persons (EBP) category, which would be raised from 10 to 20 per cent found no takers. Further, the offer that reservation at the Centre along with other Jats of eight States would be given was too turned down by the agitators. It has to be separate reservation for Jats and nothing else, is their bottom-line. Guess, the Haryana Government should share notes with Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan which are sailing in the same boat.

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Assam In Poll Gear

The BJP has already donned battle gear for the forthcoming Assam Assembly polls. That it is facing an uphill task is a no brainer given Congress Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi’s 15-year reign, who is seeking his fourth term. Gogoi is banking on two things. One, the Party’s deep roots in the State and his development work. On the other hand, the BJP is harping on a decade and half of anti-incumbency, internal rife within its opponent’s rank, corruption charges against Ministers and desertion of Congress’s crucial ally Bodoland People’s Front who has switched sides to the BJP. Moreover, this could tilt the balance in 25 tribal dominated seats. Also, after loosing two vital States Bihar and Delhi the Hindutva brigade is leaving no stone unturned to make its mark in this North-eastern State specially against the backdrop of Party bagging half of the States 14 Lok Sabha seats in 2014. Union Minister Sonowal along-with Congress ex-Minister Hemanta Biswa Sharma is leading the Saffron charge to dethrone the Congress. The Party has adopted a two-pronged attack: Forge an umbrella alliance which reflects the “true Assamese identity” comprising Bengali Hindus and local people and raising the ante against the invasion of illegal migrants. The BJP is also negotiating an understanding with local trade unions in the State’s tea gardens. However, its plans might go array as its erstwhile partner the Assam Gano Parishad has refused to join hands, preferring to fight alone. Who will come out trumps?

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SIMI Trail In Five States

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s prediction that India faces a bigger threat internally than externally seems to be coming true. The arrest of four SIMI operatives in Odisha’s Rourkela underscores that this militant group has made inroads and bases across five States UP, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and West Bengal. The terrorists  modus operandi comprises regularly moving from one State to another to escapes surveillance. Further, they rarely use the internet or mobile phones, discarding a connection after  single use thereby not leaving any electronic trail. Remember, the Abu Faisal module which continues to evade arrest has carried out many bank heights over the past two and half years to fund their terror activities.  This has alerted the security and intelligence forces which need to tighten their vigilance across the country alongside honing their intelligence capabilities to remain one step ahead of this formidable terror group.

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CPM-Congress Pact?

All is not well in the Red Brigade in West Bengal as many in the CPM see ‘red’ over an alliance with the Congress for the ensuing Assembly polls. At its ongoing Central Committee meeting, leaders from Kerala, Assam and Madhya Pradesh vehemently opposed any pact with its former ally. Notwithstanding, those pluming for a pact felt n the Stateit would help the Left regain substantial ground. It is no secret that the Left is in disarray in its Eastern strong hold after a series of electoral losses against bete noir Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress. Recall, even though it had partnered the Congress in the erstwhile first UPA Government 2004-2009 it has never been in a alliance with it in the State. A hamlet dilemma, to ally or not to allay, to say the least. ---INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)