The first phase of the Budget Session offered some succor for the Government. There was a working environment in both Houses of Parliament due to the President’s speech, the General Budget, and the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address. The Opposition parties were in an offensive mode, but they were taking part in the discussions. Sonia Gandhi also told the Congress leaders to participate in the debate, and other Opposition parties followed suit in both Houses. PM Narendra Modi was also present in the House, so the Opposition had no reason to rake up this issue.
The other reason might be this: The Opposition MPs are busy in election campaign, especially in UP. The BJP has large number of MPs, so it is not facing any difficulty despite many MPs being occupied with poll preparations. But the Congress is stuck as it doesn’t have many MPs in Parliament. The Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party are also not very comfortable; the BSP has only Rajya Sabha MPs and all of them are busy in UP. Mayawati is also busy in election campaign. The AIADMK is the third largest part in lok Sabha but its MPs are grappling with internal politics of the party.
Of course, MPs of the TMC are exhibiting their hard stand but they are not attacking due to various reasons. So, there was no bedlam in the first phase. But the Opposition is not going to sit peacefully in the second phase. Probably all Opposition leaders have had a talk and this is clear that they will be in an attacking mode in the second phase, which will start in March.
However, a lot hinges on the results of the five States. If the BJP’s performance is not up to the mark, then the Opposition will certainly stall the proceedings of Parliament and there can be din over demonetisation. But if the BJP fares well, then there will be no hue and cry over this issue and the Opposition will have to allow peaceful proceedings of Parliament.
FREEDOM MOVEMENT OF AAP
The election results from Goa and Punjab are not out yet but leaders of AAP are on cloud nine. After polling in both States, party leaders had an important meeting recently. The meeting continued for three hours and many leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal, participated in it. In the meeting of the political affairs committee, probable results of the two States were discussed and a strategy was prepared for the Assembly Elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, which are due at the end of the year.
Himachal Pradesh is a Congress-ruled State, whereas Gujarat is being ruled by the BJP for the past two decades. The leaders of AAP are of the view that if they win Punjab elections, they can also have a good show in Himachal. A senior AAP leader feels that Himachal is just like Punjab and Delhi. There is no third party, and the Congress and BJP have been in power one after another. That is why the AAP is looking for a chance there. This is also being said that leaders of both parties are facing corruption charges.
Though party sources say that Gujarat is more important that Himachal Pradesh. As per the ambitions of Kejriwal, the national convener of AAP, they are concentrating more on Gujarat. Kejriwal has given the responsibility of Gujarat to the party’s senior leader, Kumar Vishwas. The party has also prepared a blueprint to start a ‘movement’ on all 182 seats of the State; it will lead the freedom movement of Gujarat! leaders of the AAP say that there is strong anti-incumbency due to two decades of the BJP rule. They also claim that Kejriwal has got huge support during his visit to Gujarat.
STRATEGY OF NITISH KUMAR
The Bihar CM is keeping mum and allowing many rumours to spread. One such speculation is that he might go with the BJP. What gave rise to these rumours was the fact that he filled colours in a lotus outside the Patna Art Fair. Earlier, he maintained a soft stand on the issue of demonetisation, praised Narendra Modi, and allowed the buzz that he was inching towards the BJP and the PM.
This is also true that he is not talking about the alliance with the BJP; he is still searching for political space in the Opposition. People are saying that he is in regular contact with the Opposition parties and opposing many policies of the Modi Government. He has talked to CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury over several issues, and has also contacted the NCP leaders. He is going to participate in a function of NCP leader Praful Patel at an engineering college.
This is being said that Nitish is doing all these things to keep a tab on his alliance partners, the RJD and Congress. He has already given indications to his party leaders that if the need arises, he will not take even a single minute to go with the BJP, but before that, he will certainly take a chance with Opposition politics. He is in regular touch with all those parties which can be instrumental in a non-Congress and non-BJP politics. Probably, earlier he had left this responsibility on Sharad Yadav’s shoulders, but now he has taken matters into his own hands.
RUMOUR MIll IN OVERDRIVE
Tamil Nadu’s former CM Jayalalithaa was in the hospital for almost three months, and there were controversies over her ailment and the treatment given to her. These controversies continue two months after her death, especially since Sasikala Natarajan became the general secretary of the AIADMK, even more when she was chosen the leader of the legislative party. Many sordid questions are being raised, some pertaining to whether Jayalalithaa’s death was natural.
That is why the State Government has pushed forward the team of doctors who treated her to clear the air. Dr Richard Beale of london and other doctors of Apollo Hospital addressed a press conference and said there was no negligence during the treatment and no reason for any apprehensions. Despite that, rumours persist on the social media, one being that Jaya’s sugar level had reached unmanageable levels and one of her legs had to be amputated due to gangrene. These rumours did the rounds in October also, but doctors had rejected them.
Some people say there was a long wound mark on Jayalalithaa’s face. Though the doctors denied this, they explained that prolonged illness can leave some marks on the patient’s face. After two months of Jaya’s death, it is being claimed that she had died much before December 5, but it was announced later due to some or the other reason. The doctors have also clarified that she was recuperating but died suddenly following a massive heart attack.
BJP AMBITIONS IN NAGAlAND
The BJP formed the Government in Assam after winning elections, and in Arunachal Pradesh, it formed the Government due to infighting in the Congress. Now, the party has set its eyes on Manipur, where elections are scheduled for next month. The party is also closely monitoring Nagaland. Amidst political turmoil in this State, the BJP feels that the story of Arunachal Pradesh can be repeated there.
This must be noted that there is a lot of chaos in Nagaland over the issue of reservation for women in local body elections. The State has been already a victim of separatists and the situation is worsening after the new turmoil. Workers of the Nagaland Tribes Action Committee have locked the State Assembly and secretariat along with many of the Government departments. They are opposing the 33 per cent reservation for women.
The NPF is the ruling party in Nagaland and TR Zeliang is the Chief Minister of the State. There are 46 MlAs in the State Assembly, which has the strength of 60 MlAs. Some time ago, all eight MlAs of the Congress had merged into this. So, the BJP is the second largest party with four MlAs. The NCP and JDU have one MlA each, and there are eight Independent MlAs. Amidst the turmoil in the State, it is being said that CM Zeliang has put all his MlAs in a hotel for security reasons.
This is being said that the BJP wants MP of the NPF and former CM of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio. He had been the CM of the State from 2003. In 2013, the NPF had won the elections under his leadership, but in 2014, Zeliang took over. Some say probably he can topple the Zeliang Government. Many BJP leaders are hopeful that Rio can be instrumental in assuming power in the State where more than 87 per cent population is Christian. Sources say that senior BJP leaders are in touch with Rio and talks are going on in Delhi too.