Round
The States
New Delhi, 25 February 2017
Maharashtra Civic Polls
SENA SMILES, BJP HAS LAST LAUGH
By Insaf
The
BJP has the last laugh in Maharashtra. Of the
10 municipal corporation elections, it has emerged a winner in eight, making
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis beam. The Shiv Sena, which decided to go it
alone, has done well, but not good enough given the tough talk for breaking
ties. However, Chief Uddhav Thackeray can smile too and take solace that it is
the single largest party in Mumbai, winning 84 seats. But, with the BJP not far
behind with 82, (two and a half times more seats than 2012) it is inevitable
the two would need to work together and agree to a post-poll alliance. Sheer
maths of clubbing with others wouldn’t give either a majority, as the results
have spelt doom for both the Congress and the NCP. The former has performed
poorly in Mumbai and other cities as well as in zilla parishads and the latter
has lost bastion Pune, which incidentally gave a stunning victory to the BJP.
Likewise, the results have knocked out the MNS, which has not only lost its
urban base, but even its stronghold, Nashik. While there’s much time for both
former alliance partners to mull over future strategy—of coming back together
or continuing to go it alone, Prime Minister Modi says it’s a ‘great start to
2017’, first Odisha and now Maharashtra. Will lady luck be smiling all the way
these five State Assembly polls?
* * * * *
Odisha
Thumbs Up For BJP
Odisha brings cheer to the BJP and
offers hope. Hope of making a big dent in Naveen Patnaik’s popularity and
17-year-old his BJD government. Indeed, the just-concluded panchayat elections
have given an unprecedented boost to the saffron party. By winning 306 seats of
the 853 seats, it has added 270 seats to its previous tally of just 36 seats in
2012. The increase of 8.5 per cent has not only been in areas dominated by the
ruling party, but it has relegated the Congress to third position (66 seats
against 126 last time). The BJD lost 191 seats, by bagging only 460 against its
earlier tally of 651. Worse, it lost its control in the zila parishads--won
only 16 seats as against 28 it had so far. Here too the BJP did impressively
well—with zero in 2012, it had eight in its kitty. The BJP cites increase in
organisational structure as a reason for success, whereas the BJD feels the
setback is because Patnaik didn’t campaign extensively. Be that as it may,
these polls could impact the 2019 General and Assembly elections. Is it the
beginning of BJD’s downfall?
* * * * *
Punjab
Can’t Have It’s Way
Punjab cannot have its way. The
Sutlej-Yamuna link (SYL) canal has to be constructed. This was made amply clear
by the Supreme Court on Wednesday saying its orders must be executed and the
State cannot wriggle out of the water sharing pact. The ruling SAD-BJP
government’s plea to defer the case till after the elections also did not hold
good as the court was firm: “we want to finish it off. If we wait till the
results, then you will say that let the government be formed”. However, it
decided to maintain status quo till March 2, as Punjab suggested ‘good people’
from both sides should sit together to find an amicable settlement and that the
Centre act as an arbitrator. While it is anybody’s guess whether a solution to
the decades’ old issue would be found in the next few days, waters will be
tested in the coming days. The SC has asked the two States to ensure law and
order at any cost, following Haryana’s INLD asking its workers to march inside Punjab to start digging the canal. For starters, will
they oblige?
* * * * *
Gujarat
Pre-poll Sops
In Gujarat,
it’s time for the BJP to appease all. With Assembly polls later in December,
its government unveiled a populist Budget with no new taxes. Youth and women
have promises coming their way-- including tablets to 3.50 lakh-odd Class XII
students starting college, at just Rs 1,000 each, ‘Smart Classes’ in 100
schools for Class 7th & 8th students; paying interest of
education loan for students going abroad for study etc; 100% tuition fees cost
for women in medical colleges, setting up of 270 mahila adalats etc, raising
honorarium for women working at anganwadis etc. The elderly will too see a
raise in pension; there will be new government colleges for tribals. Ordinary
professionals like the barber, carpenter, blacksmith, tailor, dhobi, cobbler, potters, etc can dip into
the Rs 10 crore skill development fund. Other than enhancing the usual schemes
for bijli, pani, sadak, with focus on
the farmers, the Rupani government has laid thrust on makaan by promising to give financial aid in repaying interest on
home loans in urban areas and building house in rural areas. The list is
lengthy with the bottomline obviously being ‘Vote BJP’.
* * * * *
Golden Trouble
In Telangana
Will God come to Telangana’s aid
again? At least so seems to be Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao’s belief.
Despite State coffers being under heavy strain and unemployment among youth on
the rise, he chooses to keep the Gods happy. On Wednesday last, he offered gold
ornaments worth Rs 5.5 crore at the Tirupati temple. The amount came from
Government Orders wherein Rs 5 crore was for Tirupati and Rs 59 lakhs for four
other temples. Sadly, his thanksgiving to the Gods for the formation of the new
State coincided with the administration swooping down on leaders of Telangana
Joint Action Committee (TJAC) which had spearheaded the Telangana stir, and
arrested hundreds of youth to prevent their March for Jobs in Hyderabad. Murmurs of discontent against the
TRS government are indeed growing. More so, as while Rao keeps his promise to
the Gods, he has ignored the one to his people— housing schemes for poor,
supply of drinking water and providing jobs etc.
* * * * *
Nagaland
Strife Gets New CM
There can be no messing around with
traditions in Nagaland. This is a message, loud and clear by tribal
organisations to the political dispensation not just in State but New Delhi too. After three-long weeks of turmoil in this
north-eastern State, Chief Minister Zeliang stepped down on Monday and was
replaced by veteran leader Shurhozelie Liezietsu, on Wednesday last as its 11th
CM. This time around, the change in guard, which is not unusual, was prompted
by the bitter conflict Zeliang’s government had with influential tribal
organisations. The former had decided to hold elections to urban local bodies
with 33% seats reserved for women, which was a total no-go with the latter. Shurhozelie,
who started his political career in 1969 and was eight times MLA and minister
in past governments, will head the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland government,
for the first time. Will he along with his 11 ministers, 26 parliamentary
secretaries and six advisors be able to hold the panchayat elections and how
soon? Will New Delhi
give in to the government’s demand for exemption from enforcing reservation for
women? More than others, it will be the Naga women who will keep a
watch.---INFA
(Copyright,
India News & Feature Alliance)
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