After the assembly election, it was assumed that in Maharashtra, BJP-Shiv Sena would soon form the government, and in Haryana, BJP opened their doors for Dushyant Chautala-led JJP and independent MLAs. It was believed that BJP-Shiv Sena would take no time in forming the alliance government in Maharashtra, while things might take some time to sort themselves out in Haryana, since JJP fought on a frankly anti-BJP plank. It was assumed just after election that the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP and Dushyant Chautala-led Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) had come to a decision that Khattar would be the Chief Minister and Chautala would be the Deputy Chief Minister. In Haryana, things were hurried and both Khattar and Chautala wasted no time in taking the oath the past Sunday afternoon. Yet, uncharacteristically, and contrary to expectations, things are getting dragged out in Maharashtra, with Shiv Sena determined to get 50-50 partnership, and installing their own Chief Minister, the 29-year-old Aaditya Thackeray, for two and half years of the five-year term. Shiv Sena has threatened the BJP that it would explore other options if not given the CM seat on a rotational basis. In Haryana, BJP has won 40 seats in the 90-member assembly, while JJP has won 10 seats and BJP has got the support of 7 independent MLAs and immediately formed the government. While BJP won 105 seats in Maharashtra and Shiv Sena won only 56 seats, they fought together in the assembly election. Moreover, 17 independent MLAs and rebels, who were former BJP members, are willing to support the BJP-Shiv Sena government. Despite clear majority in Maharashtra, the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance is finding it difficult to come to a mutual understanding on the government formation issue. In contrast, power-sharing arrangement worked out neatly in Haryana, with even jail authorities now favouring to release Dushyant Chautala’s father, Ajay Chautala, on furlough. Ajay Chautala is serving a 10-year sentence in Delhi’s Tihar Jail. As the saying goes, there is no permanent enemy or permanent friend in politics.
CRICKETERS ON TOP, BUT BCCI REMAINS POLITICALLY CAPTURED
It is a lovely co-incidence that the former Indian captain, Sourav Ganguly, has become the first president of the all-new BCCI, and Brijesh Patel, the former test player, has become the IPL head. The two appointments mark a new phase of Indian cricket, with the final order on reforms in the BCCI by the Supreme Court, which had insisted on cricketers getting a say in the running of the game. While the court had ordered the inclusion of two retired cricketers in the 9-member apex body, in this revamped BCCI, Jay Shah, the son of Union home minister Amit Shah, has become the Secretary, and MoS finance Anurag Thakur’s brother has been made the finance secretary. This time, politicians have also played akey role, with Himanta Biswa Sharma controlling the 7 votes from the Northeastern state, Congress leader Rajiv Shukla, who is influential with the Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Hyderabad Cricket board, also backing Sourav Ganguly. It’s obvious that after the exit of Vinod Rai, who was heading the BCCI with the order of Supreme court, once again the powerful politicians have captured the world’s richest and most powerful cricketing body.
SC OFFICER IS JOINT SECRETARY OF RAJYA SABHA SECRETARIAT
After 67 years of Rajya Sabha, the Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu last Friday promoted Vimal Kumar, a Scheduled Caste officer, to the rank of Joint Secretary in the Rajya Sabha Secretariat. Naidu was unhappy when he learnt that the Secretariat did not have an SC officer at this level. Soon after becoming the Chairman of Upper House, he directed to take a necessary action during a review of personal and promotional policy. Vimal Kumar, who put 29 years of service in the Secretariat, has four years of service left.
NO TAKERS FOR SWITCHEROO CANDIDATES IN ELECTIONS NOW?
Elections in both Haryana and Maharashtra have shown some good signs against the previous trends from voters. This time in Haryana and Maharashtra, people at large rejected the candidates who deserted their parties just before the election and fought under the ruling party symbol. It is very interesting to note, for example, these two seats — one from Satara Lok Sabha seat of Maharashtra and another from Radhanpur assembly seat of Gujarat. Some months back, Udayanraje Bhosale of the NCP won the Satara Lok Sabha election with the support of Sharad Pawar. When he was in NCP, nobody knew to which illustrious Bhosale belongs. But once he left the NCP and joined the BJP before the Maharashtra Assembly election tofight the by-election of Satara Lok Sabha seat on BJP ticket, it was publicised loudly that Bhosale was a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji. Yet, Bhosale lost the by-election in Satara to the NCP’s Shriniwas Patil by a whopping 87,717 votes. In the same way, OBC leader and former Congress-man Alpesh Thakor had won the Radhanpur assembly seat in the 2017 in Gujarat against the BJP on the issue of OBC reservation. After BJP formed the government in Gujarat, Alpesh Thakor had switched over to BJP. In this by-poll to Radhanpur assembly seat, Alpesh fought on BJP ticket and lost the election. He was defeated by Congress’s Raghu Desai by 3,814 votes. It seems voters have now started rejecting opportunist switcheroo candidates in the election.
CONGRESS LEADERS TO HIT THE STREETS WITH NATIONWIDE AGITATION
Congress President Sonia Gandhi has directed to senior Congress leaders to travel across the country from Friday, November 1, and address the people over economic issues. Top leaders of the Congress, including AK Antony, Mallikarjun Kharge, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ambika Soni, Ajay Maken, Mukul Wasnik, Jairam Ramesh, Manish Tewari and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, will be the among those travelling across the country to address the media on economic slowdown and agrarian crisis. They will take on the government over its management of the economy. A nationwide agitation is planned for the next week. According to sources, 35 press conferences between 1st to 8th November and 5th November to 15th November have been planned. Congress leaders will hit the streets as part of the planned agitation. Many other agitations and press conferences will be in the pipeline till 31st December. (IPA)