Round The States
New Delhi, 17 January
2022
UP
Battlelines
HINDUTVA VERSUS
OBC
By Insaf
Battlelines are
getting drawn and redrawn in five States going to the polls, with Uttar Pradesh
getting sharp focus at the national level. For the end result shall give an
inkling to the popularity of the Modi NDA government. The big question doing
the rounds in Lucknow and New Delhi is whether the Samajwadi Party under
Akhilesh Yadav dethrones the BJP and perhaps dash Yogi Adityanath’s hope of
being a contender for the top seat post in 2024. Not only has Akhilesh got three
ministers of Yogi government and a number of MLAs joining his party, but has
managed to put spotlight on non-Yadav OBC communities against the saffron
party’s Hindu identity confines? The BJP this time around isn’t being
successful in consolidating the most backward classes, over 30% of total voters,
in its favour, with the exodus of its leaders being seen. There is anger against
Yogi’s government about mishandling of the pandemic from this community
particularly added with the ire from the farmers. The BJP regime, it is now
being voiced, has over the past four years ‘neglected’ leaders belonging to ‘Dalit
and backward communities and minorities,’ and ‘ignored’ concerns of ‘Dalits,
backward communities, unemployed youth, small-and medium businesspersons’, as
letters of resignations of its ministers spell out.
During his
stewardship, Yogi has asserted an upper caste-driven party and is said to have left
no stone unturned to project himself as a ‘Thakur leader.’ His penchant for
pushing the Hindutva agenda of the party has gradually earned ire from the backward
and Dalit caste groups which see promise of ‘social justice’ having got lost
and choose to voice it openly in this battle.
Akhilesh seems to
have grabbed the opportunity—turning the polls into a battle between Hindutva
and social justice politics. He is building coalition of parties representing
interests of different non-Yadav OBC and MBC communities. The fact that Yogi is
now to contest from Gorakhpur, his stronghold, and not Ayodhya or Mathura, is
also a message that BJP has realised it needs to do a lot more than just
consolidate its Hindu vote. This election, the BSP, seems to be a
non-contender, even though Mayawati has announced 53 candidates in its first
list. The Congress has announced a total of 125 candidates, 40% are women and
40% youth and hopes the combination would bring in a ‘new kind of politics in
the state.’ There are permutations and combinations which shall further emerge during
the seven-phase poll for 403 seats, but the triumph of BJP over its rivals is clearly
blurred as of now. Hold on, it will say for it is bound to have tricks up its
sleeve.
* * * * * * *
Congress’ Fate In
Manipur
Will the Congress be
able to reconstruct itself in the upcoming Manipur elections, is the question. Having
ruled the State from 2002 to 2017, the Congress which is today down to mere 13
MLAs, continues to have hope on its three time Chief Minister, 73-year-old
Ibobi Singh, currently Leader of the Opposition, to bounce back. The reasoning
being that ‘winning’ constituencies is key for individual candidates and not
the party banner alone. Besides, there is infighting within ruling BJP alliance,
with many contenders, such as the NPP, wanting the coveted Chief Minister seat,
held by Biren Singh. Of course, it’s important the Congress gives tickets to
individuals who could be the winning horse as despite an exodus, the State unit
has received applications for tickets from ‘aspirants from 50-odd Assembly
constituencies’. However, it must also work out an understanding with smaller
parties, like the BJP did in 2017, when it outdid the Congress, single largest
party, and formed the government. Can the trend of being swayed by the ruling
party at the Centre, typical in the north east, be halted?
* * * * * * *
Goa Conundrum
It’s sheer
conundrum for the voter in Goa. An alliance between the Opposition parties to
edge out the BJP, is to be or not to be? The sparring between the TMC and
Congress refuses to ebb, rather picks up steam. The Congress accuses the TMC ofrumour
mongering of a possible alliance with it and categorically says it’s a no-go, ‘completely
baseless & untrue,’and that the grand old party is confident of putting‘Goa
back on the path to progress soon.’. It further accused the TMC ‘brilliant
strategy’to aid the BJP by seeking to ‘weaken Congress and divide the anti-BJP.’
The TMC hit back and saying that Congress’ ‘uninformed false bravado no
substitute for rational thinking and maturity’, and though there was a definite
offer between principals on table two weeks ago, it was taken off. Clearly, the two are caught in the bind
of who should be the big brother and be
the ‘lead party’ in forming an alliance. With no truck between the two, the BJP
should see hope of retaining power as the anti-BJP alliance of Congress, TMC, Goa
Forward Party, MGP and AAP seems to be a distance dream as of now, unless there
is a miracle!
* * * * * * *
Delhi-Centre Row
Delhi and team AAP
is peeved with the Centre. It views the notice issued by the National
Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), last week recommending
suspension of its government’s‘Desh ke Mentor’ programme as yet another “conspiracy
by the BJP.” As an education initiative, it launched the programme last October
to provide voluntary mentors to IX and XII class students, wherein those aged
between 18-35 years sign up to become mentors through an app to connect with students
and have regular phone calls for a minimum 2 months, which could extend up to 4
months. So far, 44,000 are ‘mentors’, of which 500 are IIT graduates, 500IIM
graduates, 15,600 studying from graduation to PhDs and 15,600 working.The NCPCR
received a complaint by a ‘BJP worker in Chhattisgarh’ alleging the programme
brings kids and “unknown persons” together and exposes them to danger as there’slack
of mentors’ verification, especially if they have any record of crimes against
children! It sought Delhi government’s response; termed the reply as “ineffectual”;
recommended the programme be suspended immediately “until all loopholes
pertaining to safety are overhauled”.But AAP is unwilling to heed rather urges
BJP at Centre to stop playing politics. It argues: through the programme education
is now becoming a mass movement…the BJP is worried that if coming generation is
educated, how will it keep them trapped in darkness and entangled in communal
fights?..” Instead, it asks the programme be implemented across the country!
* * * * * * *
SC Ire on TN Govt
Theproverbial
‘political vendetta’ surfaces in Tamil Nadu. The DMK government got an earful
from the Supreme Court over the manner former AIADMK Dairy Development Minister
KTR Bhalaji was arrested. On Wednesday, while granting him a 4-week bail over an
alleged employment scam, wherein he was accused of taking bribe while offering
jobs in Aavin, State-run milk producer, the court lambasted Stalin government for
police conduct, when his appeal against rejection of anticipatory bail plea by
Madras HC was pending before it.Though the police arrested him finally from Hasaan
10 days ago after a 3-week search, the court was livid over his lawyers raided.
“we will have to order an inquiry into how your police are behaving with
advocates…In what manner liberty of a man has been snatched? Was the lawyer
harbouring the accused? Doesn’t the accused have the right to go to a lawyer?..”said
the bench. Further, the manner in which he was arrested, lawyer’s office raided,
that Bhalaji was taken to Trichy prison, 300 km away from Madurai prison, which
was the jurisdictional prison—all was “objectionable”, serious enough for a
judicial probe, noted the court. A lesson which other governments would do well
to note in their penchant to settle scores when coming to power. ---INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
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