Round The States
New Delhi, 31 December 2016
50-Day
Deadline Over
STATE
POLLS TO GIVE VERDICT
By Insaf
Time is up. The ‘50 days’ deadline
as sought by Prime Minister Modi for his demonetisation drive is over. While it
goes without saying that people across the country have and are facing
hardships, the big question is whether the frustration will translate into
votes in the ensuing Assembly elections to five States. “Give me time till
December 30. After that, if any fault is found in my intentions or my actions,
I am willing to suffer any punishment given by the country”, was Modi’s
commitment. Clearly, it’s a gamble he took and it is now for Uttar Pradesh,
Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur to
deliver the verdict. ‘Notebandi’ will undoubtedly be the hot potato this
election season. The Opposition has trashed the motive and achievement of this
scheme. The TMC has asked for his resignation and Congress the report card, as
it is the aam admi which has
suffered—his money looted and given to the corporates. Others have joined in
the chorus.
However, the BJP and its team may
not be a worried lot as recent civic elections in Chandigarh,
Gujarat and Maharashtra have given thumbs up
to the scheme meant to check corruption and black money. But they cannot be
complacent as local issues were a factor here. Besides, the Opposition has made
Modi’s ‘corruption’ a counter issue with Sahara
and Birla diaries being flogged and an inquiry demanded. While the deadline is
over, the clock has started ticking for both sides. The Election Commission is
soon to decide on the poll schedule. Dirt is being flung from all sides. In the
thick of accusations and counter accusations the voter will be burdened with
the thought that as per various calculations it won’t be until July before the
full value of the cash withdrawn by demonetisation is replaced. Standing in
queues in front of banks and ATMs is not going to end. The coming months will
test patience and next will be the long queues in front of polling booths. The
big question is will BJP be able to en-cash on Modi’s popularity yet again or
will the Opposition bank-ing on people’s hardship hit a jackpot?
* * * * * *
TN’s
Chinnamma Takes Over
Niggling uncertainty in Tamil Nadu
is over. ‘Chinnamma’ (little mother) is to step into Amma’s (mother’s) shoes,
at least in the party for now. Sasikala Natarajan, long time aide of
Jayalalitha is finally to be AIADMK’s next general secretary, following the
General Council’s unanimous resolution, on Wednesday last. However, this after
high drama when a belligerent group reportedly sent by expelled party MP
Sasikala Pushpa, tried to enter the party office and were beaten up party
workers. That settled, the party also put to rest rumours that Chinnamma also
take over as Chief Minister. Amma had held both posts. And, it was Chief
Minister Panneerselvam who handed her the party’s resolution. She, however, is
expected to take charge formally next week--at an auspicious time. Whether she
will be able to fill the void, time will tell. How soon will the controversy shrouding
Amma’s death in hospital come to an end, is another question. Will there be an
inquiry?
* * * * * *
UP
Pre-Poll Tamasha
Is it back to square one in the
Yadav parivar in Uttar Pradesh? The thaw between Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav
and uncle Shivpal looks to be short lived. The ruling SP has again been thrown
into turmoil after party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, chose to ignore son
Akhilesh’s objections to certain leaders on the ticket list and turned down his
proposal for an alliance with the Congress. The list of 325 of 403 candidates
for the upcoming Assembly elections so far leaves out 46 sitting MLAs, includes
those sacked by Akhilesh and some baddies. To top it all, father Mulayam has
even ruled out projecting son as the chief ministerial candidate. The
newly-elected MLAs will take a call, he has said. A peeved Akhilesh has hit
back by sacking a few on the tickets’ list from local body boards. The
unfortunate tit-for-tat in the family spells trouble for the party, which
otherwise was looking in good stead for these polls. It now seems, the SP like
the Congress too doesn’t have to worry from enemies, when it has these within!
* * * * * *
Delhi’s New Lt-Gov
Delhi is unlikely to get a
reprieve from the infamous Chief Minister-Lt Governor cold war. The fear
emanates from BJP’s choice of the new LG the nation’s capital will have. The
Centre has zeroed in on career bureaucrat Anil Baijal, following the sudden resignation
Najeeb Jung last week. Baijal had served as Union Home Secretary under
Vajpayee’s government, but was shunted out to Civil Aviation by UPA in 2004 and
retired as Urban Development Secretary in 2006. Importantly, Baijal was on the
Executive Council of Vivekananda International Foundation, a New Delhi-based
think tank, reported to be close to RSS and whose several former members have
got senior positions in the Modi government. This would be the latest. While
Jung was a UPA nominee, he was retained. However, his over three years’ tenure
was marked by constant bickering with AAP Chief Minister Kejriwal over supremacy in running government affairs.
How Baijal takes on the new challenge and will he be able to tame Kejriwal is
definitely worth a close watch.
* * * * * *
Bihar Pips
Centre
Bihar is one up on the Centre.
The Nitish Kumar government has approved 50 per cent reservation in the State’s
judicial services. On Wednesday last, its Cabinet cleared the Bihar Uchcha
Nyayik Seva (Sansodhan) Niymawali, 2016, and Bihar Asainik Seva (Sansodhan)
Niymawali, 2016, after consultation with Patna High Court and Bihar Public
Service Commission. The quota includes 21% for EBCs, 12% for OBCs, 16% for SCs
and 1% for STs for posts of judicial/munsif magistrates and additional/district
judges. With this, Nitish seeks to have enhanced his vote bank and it’s only a
question of time when 1100 vacancies will be filled. More importantly, he is
one step ahead of Modi, as the Centre is only in preparation mode to introduce
reservation for Dalits, tribals and OBCs in appointment of district judges.
This it proposes by way of constituting an All-India Judicial Service.
Obviously, Modi too is eyeing a sizeable chunk of the electorate, particularly
with five States going to the polls soon. However, sadly, in this vote bank
politics, the government is treading on “dangerous grounds”. According to legal
luminaries having reservation in judiciary, is ‘neither desirable nor legal or
constitutional’. The limits are being stretched too far to undermine the
independence of the judiciary! ---INFA
(Copyright,
India News & Feature Alliance)
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