Round The States

New Delhi, 19 February 2024

Delhi Vote Trust

AAP SURPRISES BJP!

By Insaf 

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal undeniably has a knack for springing surprises. This time he would have stumped rival BJP with his decision to seek vote of confidence when it wasn’t called for. On Saturday last, his AAP won the trust vote in the 70-member Assembly allowing him to assert his party has emerged as the biggest challenger to BJP, which “wants to crush it by any means”. He got the support of 54 MLAs present of his 64 flock (some in jail, unwell, attending wedding etc) and claimed no legislator had defected, though BJP was consistently ‘trying to poach’. The BJP said there was no need for the confidence motion as AAP government enjoys a majority, ‘but Kejriwal has lost people’s confidence’, as he was involved in corruption cases, including the liquor scam and wasn’t cooperating with the police probe on its complaint over MLA poaching allegations, etc. In his usual style, Kejriwal hit back saying BJP wants to dissolve the Assembly after Lok Sabha polls and the city will be governed as a UT, adding if the BJP faces any threat, it’s from AAP. Clearly, he is making solid grounds for his campaign to retain Delhi, in same way as he is skirting the ED. He will not be appearing in person for its next summons as he’s busy with the Budget session. All eyes would be on what’s next on his sleeve.

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Determined Farmers

Stopped from marching to national capital Delhi, protesting farmers have decided to stay put at the Shambhu and Khanauri points of Punjab-Haryana border. In addition, they are holding tractor marches at several places and dharnas at BJP leaders’ residences as 3 rounds of talks with Modi government have made no headway. Interestingly, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has become their mediator as he too is fighting with Centre. Other than the ‘Bharat bandh” on Friday, plans to intensify the stir have been spelt out: BharatiyaKisan Union will stage dharnas in UP and Uttarakhand on Wednesday, and the Samyukta Kisan Morcha is to launch a tractor march to Delhi end-February; in Tamil Nadu, farmers from various farm associations tried to stage a ‘rail roko’ protest at Thanjavur station. The big question is whether the government will yield and to what extent. The list of demands is long -- a legal guarantee for MSP, implementation of Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, farm debt waiver, pension for farmers and farm labourers, withdrawal of police cases during 2020-21 agitation, etc. Remember, Prime Minister Modi had the ‘Kisan’ on his list of the four pillars of Viksit Bharat! Convincing?

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Regional Parties Affected?

Opposition parties and civil society groups are upbeat with Supreme Court’s Thursday order annulling the electoral bonds scheme for political funding, giving the right to the people to know who gives money to parties. While it’s being seen as a big blow to the BJP, which got 55% (Rs 6,565 crore) of the lion’s share of bonds accounting for Rs 12,000 crore funds last fiscal, regional parties too shall be affected and moresothose which are in power. As per data of the ADR, while Congress came second to BJP, the BRS then in power in Telangana got Rs 529 crore, the TMC in West Bengal received Rs 325 crore, DMK in Tamil Nadu Rs 185 crore, BJD in Odisha Rs 152 crore and opposition TDP in Andhra Pradesh Rs 34 crore. Interestingly, the SPin Uttar Pradesh saw nil contribution to its electoral bonds and SAD in Punjab too drew a big zero. Importantly, nearly half of funds in these bonds have come from corporates and it needs to be seen how these parties will scramble for funds to fight the big electoral battle of 2024. Jubilation over the top court’s verdict may be subdued at the end of the day.  

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WB Village Trouble

Another episode of Governor-Chief Minister tussle surfaces in West Bengal. This time over the political storm brewing in Sandeshkhali village in North 24 Parganas district. On Saturday, Governor Ananda Bose said Raj Bhavan doors are open for victimised women who ‘can come and stay as shelter, food and security will be provided.’ This on the heels of National Commission for Scheduled Castes recommending President’s rule in the state after submitting its report to President Murmu. Past month has seen protests in the village after scores of women accused local TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh, absconding since January 5 after ED raids of he and his men forcibly grabbing their land for prawn cultivation, torturing and sexually harassing them for several years!Besides, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has sought a probe into the assault on a woman and ‘throwing away of her infant daughter’ by miscreants. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has reacted saying so far 17 persons have been arrested plus an all-woman police team isin the village to listen to the women’s grievances. Will it douse the fire?

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Bihar Vendetta Review

Bihar former Deputy Chief Minister TejashwiYadavand his RJD must be on tenterhooks. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has ordered a review of all decisions taken by departments of Health, Road Construction, Urban Development and Housing and Rural Works, headed by him in the previous government. A review will also be done of Public Health Engineering Department and Mines and Geology Department, under two former RJD ministers, Lalit Yadav and Ramanand Yadav. Nitish, says the JD(U), has a ‘zero tolerance’ policy against corruption and he had said: “I gave them (RJD leaders) respect, but they indulged in corrupt practices. Will launch a probe against alleged corruption by RJD leaders in the previous government”. The RJD reacted saying ‘the party isn’t scared of any review, let them (NDA government) do whatever they want to’, adding ‘the CM and BJP are scared of our leader (Tejashwi); previous Mahagathbandhan government undertook lot of welfare initiatives such as employment and social security, benefitting lakhs of people.’Putting on a strong face may not work though!

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Jharkhand Cabinet Discontent

All is not well in the newly-formed Champai Soren-led government in Jharkhand. Trouble is brewing as the Chief Minister inducted 8 new ministers, including former Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s brother Basant Soren, on Friday last.While a JMM MLA is peeved over being ‘dropped’ from the list last minute under pressure from Congress and threatening to contest as an independent candidate in Assembly polls, dissidence is brewing in Congress. A letter signed by 12 MLAs has been handed over to state party chief and 8 MLAs have joined in him in Delhi to resolve the issue. Their grudge is ‘repetition of 4 ministers from the party’s quota’ in the 12-member Cabinet, whereas they ‘wanted an opportunity this time.’ Champai will need to act to keep the JMM-led alliance of 47 MLAs (JMM-29, Congress-17 and RJD one) intact and not allow the BJP to take advantage of the heartburn. Sooner the better. ---INFA 

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)