Round The States
New Delhi, 13 August
2022
Bihar
Drama
MAHAGATHBANDHAN GAMBLE?
By Insaf
From Maharashtra to
Bihar, the political shenanigans get more intriguing. With Nitish Kumar dumping
the BJP and taking oath as Chief Minister for the record eighth time and going
back to his old ally RJD and having Tejasvi Yadav back as his Deputy CM may
have the BJP worried. Can it treat its partners shabbily, as its been accused
of. The JD(U) is the latest to leave the NDA, as it claims it was worried about
the ‘Ekanth Shinde model’ being replayed. So was it paying back the BJP in its
own coin? Or was Nitish ensuring he and his party remain relevant? Besides,
does he give a hope for the elusive national Mahagathbandhan? “I am not
an aspirant for the PM’s post. The question is will the person who came in 2014
win in 2024,”hit back Nitish to the enemy camp now. He claimed he didn't want
to be CM after the 2020 polls, but was “put
under pressure. You see what happened…How many seats did we win in 2015! And
look at what we have been reduced to. Ask people in the party what they
have been reduced to.” But his erstwhile deputy Sushil Modi says that wasn’t
the reason, as Nitish sent feelers for being made Vice President, but the BJP
didn’t bite. The public mandate has been betrayed, adds the BJP and the voters won’t
forgive him.
Indeed, Nitish will
need to strategise as he has always been doing, rather good at it. But whether
his plans from Patna to Delhi, if any will materialise is a question which will
hang toll 2024. Nitish has been known as an opportunist
politician and RJD chief Lalu Yadav had called him ‘Paltu Ram’
(turncoat)-- “Everybody knows that in your (Nitish’s) political career you took
help of so many people and deserted many,” he said when he broke the alliance
with his party. The dependability factor goes against him. But with the
Opposition divided miserably so far and unable to come together against Modi’s
BJP, Nitish’s action may provide an impetus to regional parties to start thinking
in the long term. However, a lot depends on how the State Mahagathbandhan
works out. Will Nitish and Tejaswi team hold good this time? Or will Nitish
penchant for the kursisee another derail. Prime Ministerial ambitions
are too far a cry.
* * * * * * * * *
Heat On TMC
The heat is on for
TMC as its hit by another corruption scandal. On Thursday last, the CBI
arrested party supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s trusted aide Anubrata
Mondal in a cattle smuggling case at the Indo-Bangladesh border. It was registered
in 2018 after reported collusion of BSF officials, excise personnel and politicians
involved in smuggling cattle from Bangladesh. Mondal belongs to a family of
farmersin Birbhum and issaid to be ‘de facto decision maker’in the district.He had
been summoned 10 times earlier, but appeared before the CBI only once. He again
skipped his scheduled appearance on two days citing ‘ill-health’, but was arrested
for ‘non-cooperation’ after being found to be ‘directly involved’ in the scam. Affectionately
called Kesto Da, he is known for making fiery speeches and even threatening the
police if they didn’t follow his instructions.In contrast to the
ParthaChaterjeeschool recruitment scandal, the TMC has opted to hit the streets
against ‘vendetta politics.’ While the Opposition BJP accuses it of being ‘neck-deep
in corruption’, the TMC hits back saying “We have serious doubts about central
agencies functioning. We have seen they are silent when it comes to taking
action against BJP leaders against whom there are allegations of corruption.”Be
that as it may, two wrongs don’t make a right!
* * * * * * * * *
Cracks In NIA Case
It’s both good and
bad news in the Bhima Koregaon case. The Supreme Court granting bail toone of
the accused, Telegu poet P Varavara Raowould bring a relief to rights
activists. But a serious concern should be the fissures in the system aren’t
corrected. On Wednesday last, though the NIA raised objections saying he’s
involved in “serious anti-national activities”, the court granted bail on
medical grounds, noting the 82-year-old has spent over twoyears in custody. It further
noted that though the charge sheet has been filed, some of the accused have not
been apprehended yet and the matter “has not been taken up for framing of charges
against them.” Rao was arrested on 28 August 2018 from his Hyderabad home,
following an FIR lodged under sections of IPC and UAPA. He, among others are alleged
to have ‘Maoist’ linkswith NIA taking over the probe in February 2020. A
question by Rao’s counsel rightly begs an answer. Stating charges haven’teven been
framed “how long should he be kept in jail, and whether prosecution wanted Rao
to die like Stan Swamy, who passed away even before the trial could start.”The
case sadly reiterates: Justice delayed, is justice denied.
* * * * * * * * *
MVA Bickering
There’s more trouble brewing
for the MVA alliance in Maharashtra. Congress and NCP partners are peeved over
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray’s unilateral decision to appoint to his man, AmbadasDanve,
as leader of Opposition of Legislative Council. Prompting one, a NCP delegation
meeting Thackeray and advising him to consult allies before taking any such
major decision and two, the Congress state President Patoleopenly opposing it
saying the party was not taken into confidence. The latter argued that as the
LoP post in Assembly is with NCP and deputy chairperson’s post is with Sena,
the LoP post in Council ‘should be given to Congress.’What follows is a threat:
The alliance with Sena was never ‘natural and was done because Thackeray and
Sharad Pawar met our leader Sonia Gandhi’…the MVA is a ‘not permanent one. If
Congress is not taken into confidence during decision-making process, then we
will also have to think over it.’The Sena says it has got the numbers as its biggest
Opposition party in the Council and that Thackeray did not dump the MVA as BJP
wanted. However, with three of its MLCs
said to have shifted loyalty to the Shinde camp, the Thackeray camp may not be
successful, rather may end up burning all its bridges?
* * * * * * * * *
An Emotional Farewell
A fond and emotional
farewell has its fortunate moments too. The Rajya Sabha ended its monsoon
session with the expected element of dignity and prestige on Monday last. Bidding
goodbye to Vice President and ex-officio Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, membersdid
‘cooperate’ and allowed him to ‘operate’, as he desired taking took over 5
years ago. Setting the tone, Prime Minister Modi referred to his famous ‘one-liners’saying
these ‘are wit-liners and win-liners as well…Your each word is heard,
preferred, revered and never countered.” Stretching it like many others? The session
was stormy like many others and Opposition alleged there’s a 170%rise in
suspension of MPs under NDA government, as compared to UPA. There was a common
thread to praises showered: allowing members to speak in all 22 languages;
encouraged young and new members and being a gracious host. And there were couched swipes too, such as Derek O’Brien saying:
he would have tried hard to get the PM to perhaps answer one question in his
full tenure “but that did not happen’, or maybe he would answer in his
autobiography someday about the House passing the Farm Bills or his “passionate
speech’ on fuel prices while the BJP was in opposition. A member made up by
addressing him as ‘the President the nation has missed.’ His successor, Jagdeep
Dhankarexpectedly will take a cue but with time the challenges from State
representatives could grow. Time will tell. ---INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
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