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Round The States
New
Delhi, 9 December 2023
Cong Results & INDIA Bloc
WB, BIHAR EYE OPPORTUNITY
By Insaf
The losses
in four States, especially in Hindi heartland of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya
Pradesh for the Congress should not only make it but the INDIA bloc partners to
think and think seriously and aloud. For there’s no time for bickering or blame
game as heard soon after the results were out. Some parties had their knives
pointed at Congress, though not openly. Importantly, two Chief Ministers, West
Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee and Bihar’s Nitish Kumar seem to have seen an
opportunity. The two appear to have gone into top gear and consider themselves
now steering the Opposition ship. Working on seat-sharing agreements must be the
top of the agenda for the bloc is what Mamata has insisted upon for the next
meeting to be held later this month. Recently, Congress President Kharge’s
invite for the 4th bloc meeting this week had few takers. Seat-sharing
formula must be top priority and it must be a 1:1 fight with the BJP, it has
insisted. Besides, candidates must be given sufficient time for campaigning and
gauging the situation on the ground for battle 2024 ahead, only months away.
The
TMC’s opinion was shared at a meeting of Opposition leaders this week to work
out strategy for the ongoing Parliament winter session. Upset about the halt of
meetings due to Congress being preoccupied and partners fighting against each
other in these polls, sending a wrong message, the party has also sought ‘establishing
a collective narrative and finalising the manifesto to mount a credible
challenge against BJP’. Likewise, the JD(U) is
seeking to gain importance with Congress debacle. The party is suggesting that
Nitish Kumar be made the ‘convenor’ of the INDIA bloc as his image makes
him ‘the best fit.’ And more so as he would match up to Modi! The Congress is
upset and out alright but certainly not down. It argues that though it was
defeated in these three states its vote share has been intact. Well, the bloc
must weigh the option ahead: should it cry over spilt milk or rather should it
be safe than sorry!
* * * *
Telangana
Challenge
Telangana
has the Congress finally in and BRS out. With the “people’s mandate” going the
former’s way, on Thursday last it installed its state party chief, A Revanth
Reddy, as its first Chief Minister, with Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka as Deputy.
Ousted CM and BRS chief, KCR was not only stopped him from hitting a hat trick
but his plans too of becoming a national leader by changing the party name from
TRS. While he becomes history, the going is tough for Revanth Reddy as the
burden of fulfilling the party’s ‘six guarantees’, is far too heavy with the
state said to be reeling under a debt of Rs 5 lakh crore. The guarantees,
having got the go-ahead include, free travel for women in state run buses
(under Rs 6000 crore losses) which will cost Rs 2,500 crore annually; Rs 2 lakh
farm loan waiver will cost at least Rs 35,000 lakh crore for next five years
for 42 lakh farmers; Rs 15,000 to farmers and Rs 12,000 to farm workers under
Rythu Bharosa guarantee scheme per acre annually will cost Rs 1 lakh crore!
Will Prime Minister Modi’s X post “…I assure all possible support to further
progress of the state and citizens welfare” give some hope? The answer needs no
guessing.
* * * *
Rajasthan
Drama
Nagging suspense
lingers in the three Hindi heartland States over who will be their BJP chief
ministers. Amidst this wait and watch, intriguing attempts are being made for
the hot seat in Rajasthan particularly, with senior BJP leader and two-time Chief
Minister Vasundhara Raje camping in Delhi. While she claimed she came ‘to visit
my daughter-in-law,’ over 60 of the newly elected MLAs have met her at her
residence in past 48 hours. Guess, a show of strength is the message, but efforts
in Jaipur may turn out controversial. Such as father of an MLA Lalit Meena has
claimed his son along with four others had been ‘confined in a resort’ by
Raje's son MP Dushyant Singh on Thursday last, after h had brought them to meet
Raje. However, he managed to get all five to leave the resort after party organisational
secretary and others were informed. Raje is among the frontrunners for the CM
post, with names of Diya Kumari, Mahat Balak Nath, and Rajyavarardhan Singh
Rathore doing the rounds. Raje would be well versed with the saying there can
be many a slip between the cup and the lip.
* * * *
Mizo
Clean Slate
It’s not
just a clean sweep victory but wiping out the Mizo National Front (MNF) and the
Congress which ruled the border state of Mizoram for four decades. The Zoram
People’s Movement (ZPM) with chief Lalduhoma, former police officer, who served
as in-charge of former prime minister Indira Gandhi’s security, took over the
reins of power on Friday last, winning 27 of the 40-seat Assembly. The ZPM’s
USP: young voters (62%), promising a corruption-free alternative and a “new
system” of “administrative reforms, land reforms, economic reforms”. Incumbent
Chief Minister Zoramthanga submitted his resignation to not just the Governor
but also the party as its president after a 33-year-long stint on Tuesday last,
taking moral responsibility for the debacle. The MNF, in existence for over 60
years, which won only 10 seats now, refused to accept his resignation. The
Congress, which had ruled the State for 25 years, managed to win only one seat
and the BJP just two. Importantly, 9 of the 11 MNF ministers who contested the
polls lost. Jubilation in the ZPM camp alright, but will it able to deliver is
a million dollar question.
* * * *
Southern
Cyclone
Cyclone
Michuang has played havoc with Tamil Nadu’s capital, Chennai and suburbs in
adjoining districts. Other than death and destruction, sadly it opened the
floodgates for the Opposition to hit out at ruling DMK, accusing it of poor relief
work. The AIADMK particularly questioned Stalin government’s claim of
implementing a Rs 4,000 crore storm water drain project in the city as ‘of
35,000 key interior roads under the city corporation, 20,000 were still
inundated.’ It demanded a white paper be released, but the denial mode came
into play. “Relief work was expedited; efforts to pump out stagnant water were
on; drinking water, milk, milk powder, bedsheets and food were dispatched to
affected areas,’ claimed the government. Importantly, it sought interim relief
of Rs 5,060 crore from Centre, detailing the damage caused ‘in northern
districts of Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpet viz roads,
bridges, public buildings and livelihood of lakhs of people affected. A detailed
report will follow and additional funds would be sought, said Stalin’s letter
to Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday last. It further sought a central team be
sent to assess the damage. Will New Delhi oblige?---INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)
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