Round
The States
New
Delhi, 13 April 2024
INDIA Bloc Unity
MVA PACT FOR BETTER OR WORSE?
By Insaf
Is it ‘one
step forward, two steps back’ for Maharashtra’s MVA? After months of
negotiations, the three partners finally made progress and sealed a
seat-sharing pact on Tuesday. The INDIA bloc should be relieved with at least
this united step forward, in the crucial state. But will it help achieve the
cause -- of defeating the common enemy, BJP, or will it put the partnership
further behind in the numbers game they thought they had made progress? Notably,
Congress ‘strategically stepped back’ and dropped its claims on few ‘winning’
seats and went along with Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray reasoning of the
need to be ‘magnanimous.’ Of the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies, SS-UBT managed the
biggest slice with 21 seats, Congress 17 seats, and NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar 10
seats. While Congress has assured supporting MVA candidates, it must be keeping
fingers crossed no rebellion takes shape in Mumbai, Sangli and Bhiwandi as
discontent is said to be brewing among local leaders. Besides, five years back,
Congress had got 26 seats in its seat-sharing with NCP, but today has had to
give up bigger space to the allies.
The grand
old party decided it was time to stop the back and forth and get down to
campaigning as elections, in five phases, begin next week, April 19 till May
20. How it pans out is worth a watch as ‘entertainment’ is assured, not between
breakaway SS and NCP groups (such as Ajit Pawar seeking support for his wife,
against senior Pawar’s MP daughter in Baramati), but with MNS chief Raj
Thackeray announcing his unconditional support for BJP-led ‘Mahayuti’ alliance,
will address rallies in Modi’s support! While the alliance is happy as it lessens
‘possibility’ of vote cutting, MNS cadres are seeing red. Many have resigned in
protest questioning Raj saheb’s U-turn after 2019 (a bitter critic of Modi
since). Though the party hasn’t made a mark, Uddhav group takes an interesting dig
saying an outfit ‘formed to safeguard Maharashtra pride backs its enemies.’ Applicable
to it too, perhaps, but in the end it’s the voter who shall give the verdict
whose their enemy.
* * * *
Delhi’s
‘Agnipariksha’
The
Delhi high political drama continues to hit front pages. Other than High Court upholding
AAP Chief Minister Kejriwal’s arrest in liquor excise scam saying ED was left
with “little option” after he skipped repeated summons, 24 hours later, his
minister Raaj Kumar Anand resigned from both Cabinet and party. He alleged: ‘party
is mired in graft and has no moral right to continue in government, and Dalits
have no place in party and feel cheated.’ Instead of rubbishing it, AAP reacted:
his action has ‘vindicated’ our stand that Kejriwal’s arrest was aimed at ‘finishing
the party’ and BJP was using ED and CBI to “break our ministers and MLAs”
(though Anand denies any ED pressure). Indeed, it’s ‘agnipariksha’ for
AAP flock. Kejriwal has approached Supreme Court pleading for urgent hearing
for his release by declaring the case against him ‘illegal,’ claiming his
arrest is “an unprecedented assault on tenets of democracy, free and fair
elections and federalism, both of which form significant constituents of basic
structure of Constitution.” Convincing or not?
* * * *
Manipur Mood In Camps
A big
question mark hangs over elections in conflict-ridden Manipur, particularly
among the 50,000 internally displaced people in relief camps, of which 24,500
are voters. The N-E state which has boasted of 82% plus polling in 2019
elections, has several civil society groups asking the relevance of these
elections and some even advocating a boycott. A common refrain being if the
government can conduct polls during such times, surely it can find ways to
bring peace and address people’s concerns, as the state continues to simmer
after 11 months of the ethnic crisis. Reports originating say there’s
‘conspicuous absence of posters of political parties, mega rallies, and visible
movement of leaders’ with elections next week (April 19) and 26. So far, only
hoardings put up by local election authorities, urging citizens to exercise
their franchise are visible. Will the State election office’s security
arrangements with 200 companies of paramilitary forces, setting up of 94
special polling stations in relief camps and engaging in confidence building
measures, change the mood and help heal wounds.
* * * *
TDP
No To Telangana
The
Telugu Desam Party has decided to give Telangana a miss and concentrate on wresting
back its turf in Andhra Pradesh. As a member of NDA, while TDP chief and former
AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu finalised seat-sharing formula for both Lok
Sabha and Assembly polls in AP, not only is it not going to put up candidates
in Telangana but is yet to decide whom to support there. Apparently, the going
has not been easy for TDP after Naidu was arrested by AP police last September
in a skill development corporation corruption case and though he got regular bail
in November to carry out political activities, there wasn’t time to prepare for
Telangana Assembly polls. However, he promptly sounded the poll bugle for AP
with slogan “Quit Jagan, Save AP” and with his alliance now with BJP and JSP,
urged the people to shower their blessings. His rival, YSR Congress Party President
and Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, has been equally aggressive in his
campaign and claimed ‘2024 would be last elections that TDP chief will fight’! Time
will tell.
* * * *
Qualms
On Christian Prayer Meet!
BJP-ruled
Madhya Pradesh failed to play spoilsport for a prayer meeting of Christian
community, thanks to the Supreme Court. The event in Indore under ‘National
Prayer and Ministry Alliance’, had got initial permission but the
administration revoked it after some Hindu outfits sought its cancellation.
They complained it was being organised with ‘intent to mislead people of Hindu
community and encourage them for conversion’ and there was ‘strong possibility it
might disturb peace.’ The concerned police station submitted a report on law
and order situation and the High Court when petitioned against the cancellation,
rejected it saying the concern raised by respondents can’t be said to be “unfounded,
looking to various objections they have received from other religious
organisations.” But, on Wednesday the top court stayed the cancellation saying
it was “unjustified”, the petitioner ‘will be entitled to hold the prayer
meeting at 5:00 p.m. today’ (April 10) and directed its registry to convey the
order “forthwith to registrar (Judl.), HC of MP, Bench at Indore, who shall
communicate the same to collector, Indore”. It’s about time the state
government limits itself. ----INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)
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