Round The States
New Delhi, 13
December 2012
Quota Bill
UP CALLS THE SHOTS
AGAIN
By Insaf
Uttar Pradesh is
enjoying its envious position like never before. Its warring BSP-SP leaders are
revelling in the power they yield both in national politics and Parliament this
winter session. However, whether by design or otherwise, their tough posturing and
scramble for one-upmanship ends up in a whimper, putting a question mark on
their real intent. Days after the two bailed out the UPA-II over the FDI vote
in Parliament, the BSP supremo and SP patriarch had yet another opportunity to
seek their pound of flesh. This time it was in the Rajya Sabha, where the Bill
providing for reservation to SC/ST in Government job promotion, has been
pending. While Mayawati has been pushing for its passage vociferously in what
is being seen as a quid pro quo, Mulayam has opposed it. The SP members were
seen disrupting the House repeatedly to ensure it was not taken up. But on
Thursday last, they finally relented by staging a walkout, and facilitating a
discussion on the Bill. While BSP chief can claim victory over her bête noire
in this round, Mulayam may grudgingly concede. Noticeably the patriarchy has
got a hard knock by the Supreme Court, which refused to stop the CBI inquiry
against him and son, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in the disproportionate
asset case. While his stepping back may be seen as a sign of weakness by some
or strength by others, the fact remains that UP politics is taking centre
stage.
* * * *
West Bengal’s Shame
West Bengal MLAs should hang their head in shame. On Tuesday last, the State
Assembly witnessed a never before low, when members of the Trinamool Congress
and the Left exchanged fisticuffs and abuses in the House, following denial of
a debate on the Left Front’s adjournment motion on chit funds. Worse, it was
reported that a CPM woman MLA was “pulled by the hair” and “lifted in the
treasury benches” by male MLAs! Three MLAs including two women MLAs from both
sides had to be hospitalised in the melee. While three CPM members’ who used
foul language, smashed the Speaker’s mike and tore the papers on his table,
were suspended for the rest of the session, this should be no consolation. The
unruly scenes were the worst in the history of the Assembly, when Left members
it is reported indulged in throwing eggs and tomatoes at the chair and even a
shoe at the then Governor Dharmavira way back in the sixties. Times are indeed
changing, and sadly for the worse.
* * * *
Centre’s Andhra
Woes
Andhra Pradesh and its contentious issue of separate statehood for
Telangana continue to give a headache to the Congress, both in the State and
Centre. While New Delhi
has called an “all-Party meet” on December 28, there is confusion abound among
the various stakeholders. One, the Telangana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) on
Wednesday last, has sought “clarity” from the Centre on the purpose for the
invite and that all parties should spell out their stand on Telangana statehood
before the meet. Two, Congress leaders from Seemandhra region have taken on
their counterparts from Telangana by demanding a change in date (either before
or after) as it clashes with the three-day World Telugu Conference in Tirupati
from 27-29. Insisting that the Conference must get “top priority for any
Telugu-speaking person irrespective of his region”, they have threatened a
series of demonstrations to put pressure on the Centre. Will it yield? While
there is no denying the Centre finds itself caught between the devil and the
deep sea, it can ill-afford to be vague. 2012/13 cannot end up like 2010 or 11
with the all-party meets offering no solution.
* * * *
Karnataka’s Jigsaw
Puzzle
Political developments in Karnataka are getting more intriguing by the
day. The Damocles sword continues to hang over BJP’s Jagadish Shettar
government. However, neither rebel BS Yedduyruppa’s Karnataka Janata Party
(KJP) nor the Congress is showing signs of going in for the kill. With 13 MLAs
openly attending BSY’s party launch, a big question mark hangs over Shettar
enjoying a majority in the 225-member Assembly, if a no-confidence motion is
moved. But who will do this, is the conundrum. Odd as it may sound, the
Congress and the KJP want the BJP itself to dissolve the 225-member House and
go to polls! They insist that Shettar no longer enjoys a simple majority of 113
MLAs but want to do little else for him to prove it. On its part, the BJP has
decided not take action against the 13 rebel MLAs and instead get cracking on
implementing development projects across the State, as it has six months time
before the polls. Will it survive?
* * * *
Gujarat Seals Fate
Fate of many political heavyweights in Gujarat
has been sealed in boxes. With polling for 87 seats completed in the first
phase of polling on Thursday last, a total of 846 candidates in the fray can
finally take a breather, at least till December 20, when counting begins.
However, it may not be easy for some, including State BJP president Faldu,
Modhwadia, Congress Leader of Opposition Shaktisinh Gohil and Assembly Speaker
Ganpat Vasava, given the background of the previous election in 2007, when the
margin of victory in about quarter of the seats was below 5,000 votes. Though
many pollsters have said that the BJP would romp home, delimitation, narrow
poll margins and local factors could play spoilsport for the BJP which has put
up candidates in all 87 seats. Of key interest would be how former Chief
Minister and Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP) chief Keshubhai Patel and his team
fare. More so, as GPP’s entry into the fray has forced a three-cornered contest
in many seats (witnessed after over a decade), keeping everyone guessing which
of the two, the Congress or the BJP would face the brunt.
* * * *
States’ Condom Dip
The Centre has reason to worry on the population front. Recent
statistics reveal that 22 of the 34 States
& Union Territories
have recorded a drop in the usage of condoms in 2010-11. Of these, five States
have recorded the highest low: Kerala (33%), Haryana (31%), Madhya Pradesh
(39%), Sikkim
(38%) and Andaman & Nicobar Islands (50 %). Worse, every State which is
‘high-focus non-northeast’ shows a similar trend with Rajasthan revealing 23%,
Uttar Pradesh 17%, Jharkhand 24%, Odisha and Chhattisgarh 22% and Himachal
Pradesh 20% dip. But it is not all bad news for the Union Health Ministry. Bihar and Jammu & Kashmir have shown an increase of
38% and 8% usage. Likewise, N-E States of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland
have an upward trend of 44%, 35% and 122% respectively. The Ministry has tried
to resolve procurement issues and is hopeful that with the help of
contraceptives it would be able to achieve its population target of 165 crore
in 2060. It is all set to make condoms available at the “doorstep” of an
average villager. The States must give it a hand.
(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)
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