Round The States

New Delhi, 17 March 2018

UP, Bihar Punch

BJP’s ACHE DIN NUMBERED?

By Insaf

Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have made the BJP eat crow. Its over confidence shattered with the wacky SP-BSP alliance snatching the prestigious Gorukhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha seats in the byelections under the nose of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Deputy CM Keshav Maurya in UP. The RJD in Bihar added to the knockout punch by retaining the Araria Lok Sabha seat, despite the BJP’s realigning with the JD(U). The RJD also held on to one of the two Assembly seats, with supremo Lalu Yadav in prison having the last laugh. The startling results are a clear warning sign to the saffron brigade that perhaps its ‘ache din’ (good days) are numbered, given that its score in the Lok Sabha has come down from 282 seats in 2014 to 274. The past few months it has suffered losses in other BJP-ruled States of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Obviously, the Modi wave is getting blurred, with people venting their anger through the ballot.   

The big question now is what new strategy the BJP will prepare for 2019, given these drubbings. Yogi has admitted the loss was a result of “over confidence and not having understood the political negotiation between SP and BSP.”  Precisely, the latter proved lethal and Akhilesh Yadav has both rightly and gracefully given credit to Mayawati, who was nearly written off, for ensuring her party votes got transferred to his party. If this understanding gets cemented, the SP-BSP alliance could pose a formidable challenge to the BJP in 2019 elections. However, SP would need to weigh options whether to take the Congress, which lost the deposits of its candidates, along again or dump it for the big picture. In Bihar it is said that it was sympathy vote which worked for the RJD. Whether it will last till 2019 is anybody’s guess, but a united Opposition has reason to hope as these results give a shot in the arm. Will it be able to stop the BJP juggernaut or at least cut it down to size?    

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Maharashtra Concedes

Maharashtra has finally had to buckle down. The six-day 200-km distance “Kisan Long March’ by 40,000-odd farmers, which ended in Mumbai on Monday evening, brought the Devendra Fadnavis government to its knees. Demands of loan waiver, rightful MRP and right to forest land were conceded, with the promise of a committee which shall deliver in a time-bound manner. Importantly, the ‘red sea’ of farmers got support not only from expected quarters i.e. Congress, NCP, MNS and Shiv Sena, but that thousands of Mumbaikars came out with food and footwear to support them. The success of the protest, organised by the CPM’s farmers’ wing, the All India Kisan Sabha, predictably has lent fresh impetus. In Odisha the farmers are demanding unconditional waiver of loan, electricity bills and Rs 21,600 crore allocation in Budget; protests held in Lucknow demand other than loan waiver, removal of restrictions on animal trade; in Jharkhand they propose to halt the government from acquiring 4 lakh acre land and displace 300 villages for projects etc. Will the rippling effect grow and engulf the country?   

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Gujarat, Telangana Shame

People’s representatives in Gujarat and Telangana should hang their heads in shame. In the span of three days, both States Assemblies witnessed ugly brawl. On Wednesday last, the Gujarat Speaker chose to suspend two Congress MLAs for three years and another for a year for their unruly behaviour. The three had a fracas with BJP MLAs, ‘assaulting one with a microphone and raining fisticuffs’ peeved over a discussion not being allowed by the Chair.  They were taken away by the marshalls, barred from entering the Assembly premises and warned any violation would amount to trespassing inviting criminal action! Likewise, on Monday last, during the Governor’s address to a joint sitting of Telangana Assembly and Council, Congress members created a ruckus, with one hurling a microphone at TRS Council Chairman and ‘injuring’ him. While 11 Congress members were suspended, two were expelled from the Assembly for rest of the Budget session. Intolerance is rubbing off? 

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Chhattisgarh Naxal Terror

Naxal terror raised its ugly head in Chhattisgarh. On Tuesday last, the CRPF lost nine of its jawans and two were injured when the rebels blew up a mine-protected vehicle (MPV) in Sukma district. Not only has the incident shattered Raman Singh government’s confidence in containing the Maoists, but has made the CRPF order a Court of Inquiry. This, after it emerged that the SP decided to move in the denuded forest, knowing well that 120-150-odd Maoists were lurking around and that after a naxal had been killed, an attack was anticipated. Besides, the usage of the MPVs was a ‘glaring lapse’, as not only could these vehicles be easily spotted by the naxals, but that directives issued last December i.e. MPVs and bikes be used only when the area to be used for movement is under ‘good control’ of the forces and the threat of landmines and IEDs were totally negated. While the inquiry report will be awaited, the government and forces will do well to adhere to the adage once bitten twice shy.   

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J&K Sacking

The PDP-BJP alliance in J&K has suffered a setback. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti sacked her Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu on Monday last for saying that Kashmir was not a political issue. The action has particularly upset ally BJP as Druba was seen as the PDP’s point person to work out an alliance after a hung Assembly in 2014. Not only was he a bridge between the Centre and State on contentious issues, but was instrumental in the formulation of the GST being applied in the State. It is no secret that ties between the two parties have been under strain and they are not on the same page when it comes to finding the elusive solution to restore normalcy in the strife-torn State. Perhaps, Mehbooba should relook at what Drabu has to say: “J&K is not a political issue as far as I can see. They have been barking up the wrong tree for last 50 or 70 years by talking about the politics of it; that the political situation has never improved. We seriously need to look at in terms of how it is a society that is in search for itself.” Hasn’t he hit the nail on the head?---INFA

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)