Round The States

New Delhi, 5 June 2008

TRS Routed In Andhra

Telengana Statehood WIDE OPEN

By Insaf

The formation of a new State of Telengana from Andhra Pradesh is again wide open. This follows the resounding defeat of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in the by-elections to four Lok Sabha and 16 Legislative Assembly seats caused by the en masse resignation of its MPs and MLAs in protest against the Centre’s failure to carve out Telangana. Out of the four Lok Sabha seats, the TRS managed to retain only two while the Congress and TDP bagged one seat each. Of the 18 Assembly seats, the TRS could retain only 7 and the Congress and TDP wrested 6 and 5 seats each. More humiliating for the TRS was that its supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao retained his Lok Sabha seat with a slender margin while its Assembly floor leader had to bite dust. The writing is on the wall: The TRS faces an uncertain future.

For the Congress reeling under a series of electoral reversals, the results are a major moral booster. All eyes were on these by-elections rated as a ‘mini general election’ wherein an adverse result would have triggered a series of in-house crises. One, its State unit could have split as belligerent Telangana leaders were on the verge of a revolt  against the party high command’s failure to take a clear stand on the statehood issue. Demonstrated when senior leader G Venkataswamy forecast the party’s doom in the region at the CWC meet last week. Leading to senior leader Ahmed Patel visiting Venkataswamy to placate him that the party would address his concern. Two, it has snuffed out all rebellion against Chief Minister Y. Rajasekhar Reddy. For its arch rival TDP, the bypolls provided fresh lease of life.

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Barely had the euphoria over its victory in Karnataka sunk in, that the BJP found itself in a war of wits with the Governor Rameshwar Thakur. In a take-off on the classic which came-first-chicken-or-egg theory, both were caught in a Constitutional bind. While the BJP wanted the Governor to render the special address to the joint session of the Karnataka Legislature, Thakur asked the Saffron Sangh to first prove its majority on the floor of the Assembly, before he rendered his address. True, the BJP bowed to the Governor’s diktat, but in the process it opened the legal Pandora’s Box. Experts stated that the Governor’s directions were not in consonance with the Constitution. Article 176 states that there shall be a special address by the Governor at the commencement of the first session. Following which the business of the House shall be carried on.

The key word is “business”, stress legal experts. According to the Constitution, “business” of the House implied a floor test also. Hence technically, the Governor should have addressed the House before he ordered a floor test, they claim. However, Raj Bhawan thought otherwise. Citing the Bommai judgment, Governor Thakur held that a floor test was supreme before any action in the House could be undertaken. The BJP, argued that the Bommai judgment was just an interpretation and not above the Constitution. Moreover, the Governor had invited the Party to form the Government only after satisfying himself that it enjoyed a majority. Clearly, the Governor’s action has reopened the debate on retired or active politicians being appointed by the Centre to act as ‘its eyes and ears’ in the State. Thakur, once again has earned the ignominy of being called the “Centre’s stooge.”

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PDP-Congress Tussle Over Governor

After a lull the Congress and the PDP are once again locked in a tussle. This time on who should be the next occupant of Srinagar’s Raj Bhawan. With the term of Governor, General (Retd) S.K. Sinha, coming to an end soon, the PDP has conveyed its preference for a civilian and a secular person. The Chief Minister, Congress’ Ghulam Nabi Azad begs to differ. He is pushing for another term for General Sinha. He is skeptical about changing the Governor just months ahead of the Assembly elections later this year. The Centre on its part, is hooting for two former Union Home Secretaries, N.N. Vohra and V.K. Duggal. Adding to the confusion, Governor Sinha too has conveyed to New Delhi his inclination to continue “for some more time”. However, the Centre continues to hold the gubernatorial cards close to its chest.

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Assam-Meghalaya Fight Over Uranium

Till date the southern states were infamous for boundary disputes. But this malaise seems to have spread to the north-east where Assam and Meghalaya are locked in a border row over a remote village Lampih. Following the potential discovery of uranium in this tiny hamlet. To ensure that Lampih remains with it, the Assam Government has dangled lots of carrots including a health centre and motorable roads for 3,200 villagers who have to travel for six hours on horseback to reach the nearest road. Across the border, the Meghalaya Chief Minister is not taking things lying down. He has lodged a protest with the Centre and threatened to use force if Assam encroaches on the area. The contentious village, 97 km from Guwahati is populated by Nepali, Garo and Khasis. While the Khasis  hoot for Meghalaya, the Nepalis and Garos bat for Assam. In the fracas, the Uranium Corporation of India remains tight lipped.

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Kerala Strikes Discordant Note In Congress-CPM Ties

Even as the Left-UPA tango continues, discordant notes are growing louder in the Red strongholds. The Kerala Chief Minister, V S Achuthanandan lambasted the Centre for cutting the APL (Above Poverty Line) rice share of 87 per cent while the State was grappling with the unprecedented price rise. Accusing the Centre of turning a blind eye to the severe damage to paddy cultivation due to the unseasonal summer rains in March, the Chief Minister alleged that the Centre was not willing to grant monies for reviving the crops and fisheries sectors. He reminded the Centre that the Swaminathan Commission has recommended a comprehensive Central package to solve the agrarian crisis in the Idukki district. “But the Centre has not shown any readiness to accept this report and to grant the required amount,” he asserted.

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Mamata Drives Wedge In Left Front

If the RSP walking out of the UPA-Left Coordination Committee was not bad enough, the Trinamool’s stormy petrel Mamata Banerjee is busy driving a further wedge between the CPI(M) and its allies in the Left Front on the issue of land acquisition. Rejecting the Industry Minister plea that the State Government would work out a consensus with the new Trinamool Congress-led Zilla Parishads before going ahead with land acquisition, Mamata asserted: “They are speaking in many voices. We would respond only to those proposals which have the approval of the Cabinet and the Left Front Committee.” In support of her stand, she cites the Opposition of the Left partners RSP and Forward Bloc to setting up of industry on farm land. Adding to the CPM woes its General Secretary Biman Bose has confessed that the Party lost the Zilla Parishad elections due to corruption within in its cadres. ----INFA

 (Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)