Round The States
New
Delhi, 6 April 2024
Parting Ways In Kashmir
NC, PDP JOLT TO INDIA BLOC
By Insaf
INDIA
bloc partners in Kashmir part ways. The principal parties in the Valley, the NC
and PDP decided to nominate each of their candidates for the three Lok Sabha
seats, dashing hopes of the foes truly turning friends. Within 24 hours, former
Chief Ministers, Mehbooba Mufti (PDP) and Omar Abdullah (NC) were heard blaming
each other of slamming the unity door. After Abdullah was quoted on Tuesday
saying PDP was unlikely to contest the polls, Mufti on Wednesday said it was
‘harsh’ and insinuating that her party had become irrelevant and so she had no
option but to go alone. However, Abdullah maintains it’s her doing as she
doesn’t want a pact even for Assembly polls, (if held in September)! Sadly,
this pow-vow impacts not just Opposition bloc, but also Gupkar alliance,
demanding restoration of Article 370. Both had earlier spoken of jointly taking
on BJP and its ‘secret allies’— perhaps referring to DPAP founder and former
Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who has announced contesting from Anantnag-Rajouri-Poonch seat. Importantly, while the
NC has decided to leave the two seats in Jammu region for Congress, PDP is yet
to take a call. Will there be a reproachment?
* * * *
Delhi’s
Good & Bad Luck
The past
week has stirred like a pendulum for AAP, ruling dispensation in Delhi. On
Monday Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was sent to judicial custody till April
15, on Tuesday MP and close aide Sanjay Singh got bail from Supreme Court, was
released from jail after six months on Wednesday and on Thursday, Delhi High Court
refused to entertain a PIL seeking removal of Kejriwal as CM following his
arrest saying: “At times, personal interest has to be subordinate to national
interest but that is his personal call. If he doesn’t want to do that it is up
to him. We are a court of law and have to go by the law. Your remedy doesn’t lie
here, it lies elsewhere. You go before the competent forum.” Interestingly, the
ED too has different yardsticks in the Delhi excise policy-linked money
laundering case. While objecting to bail being granted to Kejriwal, it said his
release could hamper the probe but conceded it had no objections if Singh is
given bail as well as failed to provide an answer where the money was. On
release, a relived Singh gave hope to party cadres “Arvind Kejriwal and our
leaders have been put behind bars and I am fully confident that yeh
jail ke taale tutenge hamaare saare neta chutenge (the locks of jail
will break, and all our leaders will come out)” Many would be praying his words
turn out prophetic.
* * * *
Odisha
Big Switch-Over
Who to
vote can be a conundrum for the voter in Odisha! As the State gears up for both
Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, the ruling BJD and its main challenger now,
the BJP have their leaders switching sides merrily. And to their advantage or
say hitting the lottery by instantly winning their new party’s ticket. Chief
Minister Naveen Patnaik has nominated at least seven of the turncoats, about 30%
either from BJP or Congress within hours as BJD candidates, of the 20 announced
so far for 21 LS seats. Likewise, the BJP has given tickets to three senior
leaders of BJD, including six-time MP Bhatruhari Mahtab, who either left or
were removed from party or denied tickets. Who will benefit more is the big
question. BJP is hoping to turn the tables given it upstaged Congress in 2019
polls and is now encashing on rumblings within BJD. Apparently, Patnaik’s private
secretary-turned Cabinet Minister rank VK Pandian has acquired an all-powerful
position, upsetting party MLAs and MPs. Will anger spill-over to the electorate?
The voter will first need to be alert and tally the candidate with the party
and symbol before he presses the EVM button, not to be stumped by the
switch-over.
* * * *
WB
‘Safest for Women’?
West
Bengal may no longer be able to boast of being ‘the safest state for women’.
This, as the Sandeshkhali case of alleged sexual assault and land grabbing in
North 24 Parganas district is continuing to be a hot potato in ensuing polls.
On Thursday, hearing PILs, Calcutta High Court observed it would be “highly
shameful” if even 1% cent of allegations of sexual assault there were found to
be true, and WB’s image as ‘safest state for women’ will fall! This after a
lawyer had submitted a compilation of 100-odd affidavits of alleged victims of
sexual assault other than of violence and land grabbing, among other PILs
seeking transfer of case to CBI. State’s Advocate General questioned their
conviction rate in cases they were investigating in the state and saying
central agencies have ‘lost the trust posed in them.’ But, court was firm: “The
entire district administration and ruling dispensation have to owe moral
responsibility, 100% responsibility and that ‘if one affidavit is proved right,
then statistics falls, public image falls, opinion falls…If it falls and
crumbles, you cannot resurrect it.” Wonder if this would bother Didi. Right
now, she needs to stop Modi and team from making substantial inroads in her
State.
* * * *
Soren
& 31 Cr Land
Former
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has more to lose than just his kursi
(chair). The ED has attached 8.86 acres of land in Ranchi, valued at Rs
31,07,02,480 as per urban residential property rate. This is part of the
chargesheet filed against him and four others in the alleged money laundering
investigation. Saying that Soren was in ‘possession’ of this asset since
2010-11 in a ‘camouflaged and concealed’ manner, the ED on Thursday requested
the court for confiscation of the plot. Recall, Soren was arrested in January
and is lodged in Birsa Munda central jail. In its chargesheet, the ED, which
says the court has taken cognisance of,
has claimed Soren’s associate, Prasad, a former Jharkhand revenue dept
official and custodian of government records, was a member of ‘a syndicate
which was involved in acquiring lands by fraudulent means which included
tampering with original government registers, falsification of government
records and manufacturing fake documents.’ Will the case turn out to be a mega
racket of land mafia in the States, as alleged? Time will tell. ---INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)
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