Round The States

New Delhi, 29 April, 2017

MCD Elections

BJP SWEEPS THE BROOM

By Insaf

The Modi wave has put the local elections to the MCD under its spell. Notwithstanding it ruling the roost for over ten years and an abysmal record and seeped in corruption. True, at one level one can argue that while the Prime Minister had to be used as the Mascot for a local election. However, more important it show cases that Kejriwal’s AAP which had promised alternate politics and swept to power in Delhi Assembly netting 67 out of 70 seats has come a cropper in a 270 three-way corporation elections recording 181 BJP, 48 AAP and 30 Congress. Sadly, instead of using those two years to develop the Capital State into a new developmental model, Kejriwal adopted and parroted all the failings and misdemeanors of his arch rivals BJP and Congress. Clearly post AAP biting dust in Punjab, kejriwal has to learn that the faster you rise the harder you fall. By speading himself thin, Delhiites did not take likely to the fact that he had abandoned the State for greener pastures in Punjab.  The Congress’ pathetic performance yet again underscores that its high command is clueless with the ground realities and behaving ostrich like, failing to see the writing on the wall. At the same time, the BJP needs to remember that good times do not last forever.  This time round it needs to revamp and give and provide an alternate development model for Delhiites.      

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Chhattissgarh Massacre

Chhattisgarh unmistakably needs to get its act together. Security forces becoming sitting ducks for Maoists in the BJP-ruled State has become a rule rather than an exception. Union Home Ministry’s talk of containing internal terrorism is simply a hog wash following the killing of 25 CRPF men in an ambush by Maoists in Sukma. Note this is the deadly second attack in one and a half months and the third in seven years. Worse, the DGP CRPF has pointedly accused the State administration for being a laggard when it came to raod construction, specially against the backdrop of it being a Maoists den. Shockingly, the road, where the attack took place has been in the making for many a years. More scandalous, the CRPF officials had been crying hoarse for new technology that could cut the time taken to construct the one km road to just two days. Alas, this proposal has been gathering dust with the Raman Singh government for three years. Alongside the police personnel acknowledge that they soft targets due to the predictability of the route taken to the road construction side. It is a moot point whether the State will admit that it has blood on its hands.

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Rajasthan Gaffe

Delhi results show that the Congress has learnt no lesson and continues to buy peace instead of taking hard decisions. A prime example is Rajasthan where it has rewarded “sulking” former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot by making him General Secretary in charge of Gujarat, which goes to the polls in November.  This is the Sonia-Rahul peace offering to ensure that Congress Vice President handpicked PCC chief Sachin Pilot gets a free hand in the desert State. Additionally, this has added fodder to the BJP, whose alleged Gau rakshaks are now having a free run in the State by attacking five persons who were transporting buffaloes to Haryana, with valid permits. Even as one of the five succumbed to injury Chief Minister Vasundara Raje said that the culprits would not be spared. It remains to be seen whether Pilot would be able to mobilize the Congress party to vehemently organize protests against the BJP’s cow vigilantes, and put Raje on the mat. After all actions speak louder than words.

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J&K Conundrum

All is not well in the Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP. Rumours are rife in Srinagar of a likely split within the regional outfit, with senior leaders angry with the Chief Minister and her brood of youngsters running the State as well as the organization. Things have come to such a pass that senior leaders who were close to Late Mufti Mohd Sayeed had voiced their angst openly and reportedly privately sounded out the saffron point person Ram Madhav for switching loyalties. This rebellion could not have been times worse for Mehbooba as she grapples with a rigid Centre, refusing to hold with the Hurriyat to bring an end to the violence and stone-pelting in the State. This comes on the heel of terrorist killing a PDP leader in the Pulwana district of Jammu, resulting in spiraling violence in the Valley-- the second politician targeted in South Kashmir in a week. Further, the Hurriyat and the anti-India squad have adopted new tactics by putting young girls at the forefront of the stone-pelting protests to mobilize public opinion against officials, security personnel repelling such attacks. Which road will Mehbooba traverse now?

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TN Liquor Fiasco

The Tamil Nadu government seems not to have luck on its sight. Even as Goa and Maharashtra State administration have re-notified the National and State Highways as local roads to circumvent the Supreme Court 500-metres liquor ban, the Madras High Court has played spoilsport by staying the State administration’s order reclassifying part of the Highways as urban local roads. Thereby ensuring the liquor shops remain shut for at least three more months. The Chief Justice bench did not find reason in the Government’s argument which failed to give an undertaking that the reclassification of roads would not lead to relocation or re-opening of the closed Tamil Nadu State Marketing Liquor shops and bars.  In fact, the State Advocate General’s plea that he was only following example of Punjab where the administration wanted to change the nomenclature of roads and Punjab and Haryana High Court had upheld this decision, did not find merit with the State High Court. The two petitioners challenging the State government held their ground that this was just a ploy to undermine the apex court’s injunction.  All eyes are riveted on the next court hearing in July. Meanwhile, even as the women rejoice the men folk are now searching for solace in locally brewed liquor. –INFA

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