Now, Kejri versus Kiran is complete

BJP took only four days after bringing first lady former IPS officer Kiran Bedi into the party fold in declaring her as the Chief Ministerial candidate of the party in Delhi assembly elections. The way BJP lobbied Kiran Bedi to join the party to become its face clearly reflected two things. First, the party realized that it had no match for AAP convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to give him a serious fight and second it showed bankruptcy in terms of ideology and leadership in Delhi party unit. It also appears clearly that after the not so impressive rally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi, it was felt by the BJP that PM will not be the face of the party in Delhi as was its tradition in Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir. It also reflects that the BJP is not so sure of victory in Delhi and any defeat in the heart of the nation would be damaging to the image of the PM Modi if the Delhi elections were fought by projecting him as its face. So the vigorous lobbying of Kiran Bedi, who was a little bit of BJP's leaning from the beginning as was seen during the Ramlila Maidan gathering for Anna Hazare movement against corruption in 2011. Overt or covert support of Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS), the doting parent of BJP, was provide to Anna Hazare Movement at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi against corruption. Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi are the products of Anna Hazare's movement against corruption. Both had shared the dais together under the leadership of note social activist, anti-corruption crusader and Gandhian Anna Hazare. Both have unblemished records in public and there is not any corruption charge against any one of them. Both have influence among Delhiites. That is why BJP brought Kiran Bedi against Kejriwal so that Delhiites could get alternative to Kejriwal's way of honest politics. Both Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi are honest and both have experience in governance. Kiran Bedi may have longer experience in governance, but Kejriwal still has edge over Kiran Bedi in politics and popularity. Congress which ruled Delhi for 15 years in continuity with Sheila Dikshit as Chief Minister, but with the worst ever defeat in 2013 elections, it has gone into background and its major vote bank shifted to AAP. So, both BJP and AAP consider Congress irrelevant in the upcoming Delhi elections. Congress may have gone into oblivion in Delhi in this election, but it has tenacity to spring up the moment its leadership takes to street. It also reflects in Delhi that the hope from Prime Minister Narendra Modi has turned into hopelessness as Delhiites feel no from his 7 months of his regime. Delhi assembly election is also going to be a litmus test for the popularity of PM Modi. It is also a matter of prestige for the BJP to win assembly elections in Delhi to move ahead with its invincible innings since the last Lok Sabha elections.

Consolidate the favourable condition

India is the next door neighbour and one of the closest friends of Sri Lanka. The outgoing regime of Rajpakse, which was tilted in favour of China against the interest of India, after the defeat at the hands of opposition leader Maithripala Sirisena, who is considered to be pursuing foreign policy that would not go against the interest of India. Though India had no role in the elections of Sri Lanka in which outgoing President Rajpakse failed to get back into power for the third consecutive time with his defeat at the hands of Sirisena. India has vital interest in Sri Lanka. A large number of Tamils of Indian origin are living in Sri Lanka. India would never like any country at any cost to enter Sri Lanka to set its foot there to pursue its interest. During the outgoing regime of Rajpakse, China had got free pass in Sri Lanka and it also protected its interest with an intention of hurting India. It is the vital position of Sri Lanka for India from many points of view that our former Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi had sent Indian Peace Keeping Force there despite fierce domestic opposition and inviting the wrath of LTTE, the dreaded Terrorist organization fighting for the cause of a separate Tamil State in Sri Lanka. Though Rajpakse regime dealt highhandedly with the Tamils on the one hand and encouraged Sinhalese to go on rampage against them, the Sirisena government appears to be striking a balance and bring all kinds of injustice and corruption of the previous government to an end. The eviction order of Station Chief of India's external spy agency issue reportedly by the Rajpakse regime because of the alleged encouragement to opposition in elections by India has no takers. India has never interfered in the internal affairs of any of its neighbour. But at the same time, India must be vigilant enough to keep its own space and foothold in neighbourhood protected so that no outside power could influence the rulers of the neighbouring countries. India has long coastal line with Sri Lanka. In the given situation, entrance to the sea in Sri Lanka by any other distant neighbour is detrimental to the interest of India. It must not be allowed. It would only be possible when the ruler of that neighbouring country is friendly and favourable. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed his inclination of promoting friendly relations with all since the day of his swearing-in ceremony and the warmth with which External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has greeted her Sri Lanka counterpart Mangala Sarmaraweera, the relation with the neighbours especially Sri Lanka is bound to be strengthened.

Maha assembly polls very crucial

Political friends and partners have turned foes to one another in the poll bound Maharashtra. 25 years old alliance between Shiv Sena and BJP and more than 15 years old friendship between Congress and Nationalist Congress Party have broken. All are contenders for power on their own in this assembly election. All the major political parties Shiv Sena, BJP, Congress and NCP are going to fight assembly elections in the state of Maharashtra on their own. This is the first election scenario of this kind in 25 years of Maharshtra politics. If the poll survey undertaken by various agencies is anything to go by, no political party is going to secure majority in the state to form government on its own. Though there is every possibility of post poll alliance after the announcement of election results, it is almost certain election result will throw up hung assembly in Maharashtra. The main cause of breaking of alliances is nothing but the chief ministerial ambition of all major political parties, which are in play in the field. Shiv Sena and BJP were natural alliance partners ideologically and so were NCP and Congress. It is correct that Congress is faced with anti-incumbency factor of 15 years but other parties’ prospect is also not very bright. After more than 5 months of being in Power at the Centre, the Narendra Modi -led government at the Centre did not so far come up to the expectation of the people. So, disillusionment among them to the government is natural. Shiv Sena criticises Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his total failure to reply appropriately to Pakistan's frequent violations of ceasefire. It has rightly attacked prime minister Modi over paying no attention to the border firing by Pakistan and his inability to stop its atrocities. Pakistan has been firing continuously on the Indian side because the government was not taking any firm steps. Shiv Sena once the closest friend of BJP has made serious allegation against Prime Minister Narendra Modi of undermining the national security of India. Now any Indian can also ask PM Modi as to what about his claim of having 56-inch chest during Lok Sabha elections to reply Pakistan with doubly force if ever it did any mischief. Houses of the people as far as four kilometres away from the border have been badly affected by the continuous firing. So far seven persons have been killed and nearly 70 injured in the ceasefire violations by Pakistan since October 1 with over 16,000 people migrating to safer areas.

Hooting is unacceptable

The hooting of the Chief Minister of Jharkhand Heman Soren by BJP workers in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a government function to inaugurate power related projects is the third in line after the same treatment meted out to Congress Chief Minister Prithvi Raj Chavan and Bhupendra Singh Hooda of Maharashtra and Haryana respectively. It is the beginning of worst kind of treatment to political opponents. It is in no way permissible to hoot out opposition leaders by the ruling party workers in presence of none other than Prime Minister.All the three Chief Ministers represent the opposition space. They are Chief Ministers of three poll bound states who were hooted and jeered by BJP workers in the same fashion. They were hooted to show how unpopular they are in their own states. So, hooting has been committed under a deliberate political game plan by BJP. Hemant Soren was hooted the moment he stood to deliver his speech at the dais in the presence of PM Modi. He continued his speech amidst hooting, but expressed his displeasure publicly by terming the behaviour of the BJP workers as an attack on the federal structure. This type of hooting of opposition leaders by BJP workers in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who happens to be the top leader, clearly reflects his contradictory stance. At one time PM Modi advocates for co-operative federalism and opposition leaders are hooted in his presence at the other. It may be the style of functioning of the Prime Minister Modi to belittle the opposition leaders or political rivals within his own party in public presence. As PM Modi tours only the poll bound states of Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana and Jharkhand, it may be his political intention to show the opposition Chief Ministers in bad light before the public at the functions organized by the government. Congress Party Chief Ministers have decided to boycott Prime Minister Modi’s meeting. Maharashtra CM did not turn up at PM Modi’s meeting in Nagpur for the inauguration of Metro rail project. Though it is not appreciable, the discourteous behavior with opposition leaders the ruling BJP workers is also a dangerous trend for the future of democracy in India. After the first incident of this nature at a government function in Maharashtra the Chief Minister of the state was hooted in the Presence of Prime Minister Modi, he should have issued a clear instruction that this type of behaviour by party workers will not be tolerated at any cost. The way crowd mostly comprising BJP workers behaved with the opposition Chief Minister in the presence of the Prime Minister Modi can not be appreciated. This is democracy. People are sovereign. This time they voted for BJP, next time they may give their votes to some other parties to power. If their workers and cadres behaved in the same way with BJP leaders, what would the do? So, BJP must take stringent action against those party workers who hoot out the opposition leaders at the functions organized by the government in PM’s presence. Uncivil political behavior must stop.

PM Modi’s control is now complete

With the appointment of BJP General Secretary and its master strategist Amit Shah as the new president of the party by Parliamentary Board, the highest decision making body, the control of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on government as well as organization is now complete. PM Modi leaves no stone unturned in ensuring his stamp everywhere. Now both the PM and BJP President are from the state of Gujarat. Amit Shah has been PM Modi’s most trusted lieutenant since his Gujarat days. He was Home Minister in the state government when Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. He had to resign from the Modi ministry in Gujarat because of his alleged role in the fake police encounter cases. He has been a controversial but charismatic leader of the BJP. The credit of achieving spectacular victory in Uttar Pradesh in the Lok Sabha elections goes to Amit Shah as he was the in-charge of elections in the state. His spectacular success in UP catapulted him to the highest post in BJP. Winning more than 70 Lok Sabha seats out of 80 from the state of Uttar Pradesh is not an easy task. He has made it possible almost single-handedly. Amit Shah is also relatively young and dynamic and expert in infusing zeal, guts and courage in party workers to fight the opponent at the right point of time. It is also said that he has vast experience of galvanizing the party workers to fight the opponent successfully. It is alleged that he can also play communal and emotional card very shrewdly to polarize the voters in his party’s favour. With Amit Shah at the helms of the party, PM Modi will always be rest assured that he will have no problem from the side of organization. Now PM Modi is the law in BJP and no leader of the party can throw any sort of challenge to his authority. Now it is be everywhere Modi and none else in the BJP. Fifty-year-old Shah was trusted with the significant organizational role after he brought about BJP’s extraordinary victory in Uttar Pradesh and was able to nearly triple the party’s vote share in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.Shah has succeeded Rajnath Singh, who is now the Union home minister.He is expected to give a complete makeover to organizational structures, replacing at least three vice-presidents and three general secretaries, who are now ministers in the Modi cabinet. Shah was the Gujarat home minister under Modi when was chief minister of the state.He had to step down in 2010 after allegations that he sanctioned a fake encounter by the state police, which saw three Muslims being killed by officers who alleged they were terrorists planning to assassinate Modi. He also faces murder charges for allegedly allowing the encounter killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and his wife Kauser Bi. Shah denies the charges saying they are a political conspiracy.

First big test for Modi begins With the beginning of the Budget session of Parliament, the first big test of the newly elected Narendra Modi-led NDA government begins. The first day of the Budget session witnessed the ruckus created by the Opposition Congress and other parties over the issues of price rise and railway fare hike. Congress MPs rushed to the well to demand adjournment motion over price hike. The opposition members were so agitated and vociferous over the issues that the Speaker had to adjourn the Lok Sabha for the day. The scene that was witnessed in the Lok Sabha is not new. When BJP was in opposition, it had also created ruckus and bedlam in the Parliament on most of the days over same issue in the last 10 years during Congress-led UPA government. Now the Congress is in opposition and the BJP is in power so it is facing the same situation in Parliament from the beginning itself. Neither the ruling BJP nor the opposition Congress-led UPA loses anything and the ultimate looser is only the people of the nation and the national exchequer. Congress-led Opposition wanted to discuss the issue of price rise under adjournment motion as it is directly affecting the day to day lives of the poor people. The momentum of price rise of all essential commodities, including food items picked up during the previous UPA government is now getting speedier and speedier without any check. People are being burdened in the same way as in the previous government. So they find no difference between the two governments. They are confused which one of two is lesser evil. The all round rise in prices has made the lives of the poor very difficult. A sense of betrayal is being felt by the people because the Narendra Modi's promise of Ache Din (Good Days) appears to be in far distant. The people have also started saying that Ache Din for BJP leaders has come, when will it come for them? Modi-led NDA government hiked rail fare and freight before the budget session to avoid embarrassment in the Parliament. If the behaviour of the opposition Congress party inside and outside on the first day of Budget session is anything to go by, Narendra Modi-led NDA government must not make mistake of taking the opposition lightly. The action of the Congress party clearly showed that it was very much concerned with the common men's problems and it would never be found lacking in grilling the government on the issue. Prime Minister Narendra Modi must realize that the people saw in him their hope and aspiration. That is why they gave him massive mandate rule in the hope that he would bring relief for them. Now it is up to his government to deliver on the promises without any loss of time. The issues of price rise and rail fare hike have disrupted proceedings in Lok Sabha on the opening day of the Budget session on Monday with Opposition insisting on a discussion on the matter through adjournment motions.

Glimpses of statesmanship

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his first speech in Parliament to the debate on President's address to the joint session on his government's agenda clearly reflected that he is not as painted by the opposition but believer in the principle of working together for the development of the nation. Modi showed his commitment to fulfill every promise made in the agenda of his government which was told in President's address. He spoke in a way that clearly showed that a little bit of statesmanship had dawned on him with becoming the Prime Minister of India. He dwelt on every issue that the country is facing these days. First and foremost thing in his speech was that he pledged to take along the opposition in running the government despite its negligible presence in Parliament. Modi spoke about co-operative federalism without which the Union of India cannot achieve the desired goal of development. Adopting big brotherly attitude towards the states ruled by opposition parties will result in confrontation and that will mar the pace of development. So it is very good that Prime Minister has said about promoting co-operative federalism. PM Modi's commitment to the development of the poor makes the opposition charge against him hollow that he is working only for the benefit of Corporate and Industrialists. Modi lauded the role of labourers in the development of the nation. This is praise worthy. His first speech in the Parliament makes it clear that he is very much interested in working for the all round development of the nation with the weaker section of society on top of his priority. For that he rightly asked for support from all corners. There was not even a single sentence in his speech that could antagonize any section of society. With landslide victory and single party majority after 30 years given to BJP by the people of the nation, it is clear that the nation wants decisive and action-oriented government for development. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also dwelt on how to do away with the criminalisation of politics. He rightly said that his government would request the Supreme Court to decide the culpability of any member of Parliament against whom there is a case within a year. If the MP is freed of all charges, he or she would sit in Parliament and if found guilty he or she would be in jail. It would be a very good move to deal with the criminalisation of politics. The most important thing that PM Modi said is that like Mahatma Gandhi's movement for freedom, there is a need to launch movement for development by all of us. His speech is full of positivity and in his first speech in Parliament he appeared to be committed for the development of the nation.