The CM of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, is not going to give up on her dream to consolidate the Opposition parties against demonetisation. Though on the very first day of the Winter Session of Parliament, her party was alone, and even on the last day, many parties abandoned her. But she still won’t quit and wants to continue her struggle against demonetisation.
Mamata has appealed to the Congress leaders that they must try to bring all other parties on one platform. This is to be noted that when Rahul Gandhi went to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, parties such as the DMK, NCP, left, SP and BSP left the front against demonetisation, and didn’t even go to a scheduled joint meeting later with President Pranab Mukherjee. Yet, Mamata wants all these parties to come together again.
Mamata doesn’t want to talk to the left leaders and probably this is her biggest problem. Just before the Session started, she had called Sitaram Yechury. Despite that, on the first day, the left didn’t help the TMC, and on the last day also, it somehow detached itself from the front led by Didi’s party.
In the same manner, the SP and BSP don’t want to join this front due to the upcoming UP elections. Many parties, along with the Congress, have serious reservations against Arvind Kejriwal. In this scenario, Mamata’s campaign doesn’t seem very practical.
RUlES OF DONATION
All debates over demonetisation and a cashless system have turned towards political parties. The Election Commission has advised against taking undisclosed donations of more than Rs2,000. At present, the limit is Rs20,000. Some political parties are said to have benefitted from this by showing undisclosed donations. Some days ago, the EC had disclosed a list of hundreds of political parties that haven’t fought a single election.
However, one by one, all parties are ready to decrease the limit of undisclosed donations, to advance the digital donations, and disclose the name of donors. PM Modi has welcomed the advice of the EC and has said that the commission must ensure its implementation. Nitish Kumar has gone one step ahead, saying that not even Rs20 should be donated in an undisclosed manner.
Before this, Mamata and Kejriwal had backed this idea. Even lJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan had supported it. Obviously, when all such parties are together, there will not be any problem in making a law for it. But this won’t be easy because all parties have their own interests. A leader of a party, which is supporting the move to end cash donations and undisclosed donations, says all parties are united on women reservation too, but the Bill has not become an Act till date.
NITISH TO CHANGE TRACKIJ
CM of Bihar, Nitish Kumar, will be changing his track on demonetisation. For this, we have to wait till December 30, but there are clear indications from his party. Sources say Nitish will issue statement after December 30, but before that he will talk to economists who are working on black money.
The party has started preparing a background for the probable statement. This has been said that the support over demonetisation has an expiry date and if there is no improvement in the cash situation, the party will rethink its stand. After that Nitish also said that a cashless economy is not possible in India and all talks for it are impractical.
Pawan Verma, who is very close to Nitish, has time and again written essays in newspapers over the problems of demonetisation. Obviously, all these are indications that Nitish will change his stand. He can take a U-turn and can also oppose the decision. If he changes his stand, there will be an end to all speculations about his hide-and-seek with the BJP, and the Mahagathbandhan will be strengthened. If he changes his stand, then the campaign of Kejriwal and Mamata will gain momentum.
RIFT BETWEEN CONG, JDU
Though the Congress and JDU are part of the ruling alliance in Bihar, all is not well between the parties, and a gap can be seen. The tension had started with the candidature for the PM post, and now both parties are at loggerheads on the issue of demonetisation. The leaders of Congress are not happy with Nitish’s stand on the issue. The strategists of Congress feel that the BJP and Central Government have got moral strength only due to his support, and this has only weakened the Opposition.
Sources in the JDU say that for the next two and half years, Nitish will be playing politics independently and will take along all parties that are demanding reservation; probably Nitish will prove his stature against the BJP and Congress. The meeting between Nitish and Hardik Patel is one of the most important steps in this direction. Meanwhile, leaders of Gujjar and Maratha reservation also met Nitish recently.
One of the indications of the rift between the JDU and Congress is this: JDU leader KC Tyagi recently commented on the Emergency and took the name of Indira Gandhi, saying that the BJP is also going in the same direction. Tyagi said that by ignoring the seniority in the appointment of the Army Chief, the Government has reminded people of Indira’s Emergency days.
lalu Prasad Yadav has sensed the distance between the Congress and JDU and has announced that he will start a big campaign against demonetisation next week. Sources say there is a possibility of a new equation in Bihar.
SUSPENSE OVER SIDHU
There has been suspense over Navjot Singh Sidhu’s move for the past three months and it continues. His wife Navjot Kaur had joined the Congress, but he has not yet joined any party officially. So, the first mystery is over his next party, and the second over his fighting elections. This is not clear whether he will be fighting the lok Sabha Elections or those for the Rajya Sabha.
Earlier, it was being thought that Capt Amarinder Singh had vacated his Amritsar seat only for Sidhu. Sidhu has been a three-time MP from this seat, and the last time, the BJP had given this ticket to Arun Jaitley after keeping Sidhu aside. It was being said that Sidhu might be contesting the lok Sabha byelections from Amritsar. His wife is an MlA from Amritsar east. So, it was almost decided that Sidhu would fight from Amritsar.
Meanwhile Capt Amarinder started singing the tune of one family, one ticket. Though, this is not clear whether this rule will be applicable for Sidhu. But news is pouring in that Sidhu himself wants to fight the Assembly Elections from his wife’s seat. This might be problematic for Capt Amarinder because if the Congress wins, then Sidhu may be a strong contender for the CM post. If not, he could be given the Deputy CM post.