Round
The States
New Delhi, 8 June 2019
Patna Vs Delhi
ALL IS NOT WELL?
By Insaf
Tit-for-tat is being played out in Bihar. An
angry Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has inducted eight new ministers in his
Cabinet but ensured not a single one of these is from allies the BJP and the
LJP. The new flock, all from his JD(U), is perhaps his way of telling Narendra
Modi that it is entirely his (Chief Minister) prerogative too to induct
whosoever he wants in his Cabinet. A replay in a way of Prime Minister forming
his Cabinet and offering one berth to JD(U), which was a no-go with Nitish. So
as in Delhi, Patna too offered a berth to the BJP, but big brother likewise refused.
Though the events paint a picture of bitterness with each side engaging in a
battle of supremacy, the two partners insist all is hunky dory.
Says Nitish: “Vacancies from JD(U) quota in
the Cabinet were empty so JD(U) leaders were inducted, there is no issue with
BJP, everything is fine.” His Deputy CM from BJP Sushil Modi, tweeted “Although
an offer was made to BJP, it decided to keep the matter pending for future” and
“the NDA is united”. LJP
chief and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan too chipped in saying: “All is
well…Nitish is our leader. Too many conclusions mustn’t be drawn. Moreover, I
am there to act as a cementing force.” The last bit is a giveaway. Cement is
used to bind the cracks. With 33 ministers of the 36 posts already filled in
Bihar, Nitish’s formula of adopting “proportional participation” in government is
neither available here too. This one State will keep the Centre guessing. In
fact, raise some hope for the battered Opposition.
* * * * * * *
Maharashtra Starts Ticking
Maharashtra may just get a fresh taste of
bickering between the ruling political partners. Within weeks of Lok Sabha
polls, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is rearing to go, with 18 MPs making
his party the second largest ally of the BJP. Time to demand, as is his trait.
Thus, he is said to have placed not one but three key demands before BJP chief
Amit Shah: it wants Dy Speaker post in Lok Sabha; ‘weighty’ portfolio for its
only minister AG Sawant, who has Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises,
which is ‘insignificant’ and more representation in the Government as “a single
cabinet berth is disproportionate” to its strength. Obvioulsy taking a cue from
JD(U). Be that as it may, the SS could upset BJP’s plans as rumours are that
BJD’s senior leader Mahtab may be in the running for the Dy Speaker’s chair.
The BJP may be inclined as it’s a “friendly’ party, like the AIADMK in the previous
Lok Sabha. Will Parliament session, beginning on 17 June, kick off with
fireworks?
* * * * * * *
UP
Alliance Short Lived
The grand alliance in Uttar Pradesh was too good to be true. Alas,
it couldn’t last and thus foes-turned-friends, the BSP and SP, decided to put
it under suspension on Tuesday last. BSP supremo Mayawati announced her party
will fight the 11 ensuing Assembly by-elections (as sitting MLAs became MPs) on
its own. Hours later, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said if the alliance has ended
then it would field its 11 candidates too. While ‘suspension’ of partnership
gives an impression the two have left doors open for a future tie-up, it seems
unlikely, given that Mayawati has blamed SP for ‘poor vote transfer and cadre
indiscipline’, which led to the ‘game-changing’ alliance turning out to be a
damn squib. However, while BSP may blame SP, the fact is that it turned out to
be a beneficiary—its seat tally rose from 0 to 10 between 2014 and now.
With political compulsions no longer the case, all eyes would be how the two
fare singly against the formidable BJP.
* * * * * * *
Telangana Shenanigans
It continues to be thumbs up for the KCR’s
party in Telangana. Not only has the ruling TRS swept the rural local body
elections, but got 12 Congress MLA’s into its fold. It appears that the Lok
Sabha polls haven’t made such a dent in KCR’s popularity at least on the home
front. Of the 538 Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies, the TRS won 449,
Congress 75 and BJP only 8. Likewise, in the 5,817 Mandal Parishad Territorial
Constituencies, TRS bagged 3,548, Congress 1392 and BJP 208. And while there is
jubilation in KCR’s camp, the Congress has plunged into a deeper crisis, with
12 of its MLAs who broke away from the party, resolving to merge with the TRS, thereby
escaping the anti-defection law provisions. In December Assembly polls, the
Congress won 19 of 119 seats. But today it’s left with just six MLAs as 11 MLAs
switched over gradually to the TRS and another one is planning his move too. All
12 MLAs are learnt to have met at TRS working president’s house, held an
impromptu legislature party meeting, adopted a resolution of merging with the
TRS and finally went to Assembly and submitted a copy to the Speaker. What
next?
* * * * * * *
Punjab’s
Bitter War
It’s no longer a war of words in Punjab, but
a direct hit. Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh sent a strong message of
enough is enough to Cabinet colleague Navjot Singh Sidhu and divested him of
the vital local bodies’ and Tourism and Culture portfolios. But he camouflaged
it with a Cabinet reshuffle and gave him Dept of Power and New & Renewable
Energy Sources instead. This soon after Sidhu, known for his barbs, skipped the
second meeting chaired by the CM and accusing him of singling him out. But
Amarinder knows how to play the game as well. He did win the Lok Sabha match
for the Congress. However, as he said, he could have done better, but for
Sidhu’s remarks on Pakistan and his “inept” handling of local bodies’ dept which
led to poor performance in urban areas. Sidhu is bound to be peeved but should
thank his stars for not being drooped. He should be cautious. Amarinder has
batted only a boundary. A six, going over it, is possible. And who will know
this better than Sidhu.
* * * * * * *
Delhi Woos Women
It’s time
again to roll out sops—now for the citizens, or rather women of the nation’s
capital, Delhi. With ruling AAP unable to win a single of the seven Lok Sabha
seats, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s popularity seems to be on the wane. Thus, with
Assembly elections due early next year, he has already kicked off his campaign.
That too with a grand announcement-- free Delhi Metro and DTC bus rides for
women! And though he reasons it out by saying he wants to provide ‘safe travel
experience for women in Delhi’, by encouraging them to use public transport,
which many aren’t able to afford, who is he trying to fool? It’s the usual
vote-catching gimmick. He should spell out how would he ensure safety after the
bus or metro ride towards home? Plus, while the DTC will approve his proposal,
there’s a big question mark over the metro ride. His government
is 50:50 equity partners with the Centre in the DMRC. Catch Modi government
obliging, even though the extra financial burden is to be “borne by the AAP government.”
Who will take whom for a ride? ---INFA
(Copyright,
India News & Feature Alliance)
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