Congress’ Bihar Playbook

The battle for Bihar is slowly but surely heating up. The Congress-RJD campaign has zeroed in on the “vote chori” theme with Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav on a yatra through the state. At every halt, Rahul speaks of how the Election Commission (EC) is a compromised body working as an appendage of BJP. The focus of the attack is the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the Bihar electoral rolls being carried out by EC which the Rahul-Tejashwi duo claim is excluding Muslims, Backwards and Dalits. The question doing the rounds in Delhi’s political circles is whether the campaign is making an impression and if it could indeed be an agenda-setting move. The answer might disappoint the Opposition I.N.D.I.A. bloc. Reports from the state indicate most electors, including lakhs of people working outside Bihar, have been able to submit documents from a list of 11 proofs sought by EC. Non-residents have strong roots in the state with members of their families often living in ancestral homes besides owning land. Documents such as Class 10 certificates sent over WhatsApp and submitted by family members to EC surveyors are being accepted. On the whole, there is no panic or anger about the widespread disenfranchisement claimed by Rahul Gandhi and Congress. The 11 documents are not foolproof but constitute a basic level of scrutiny to weed out ineligible voters and make the electoral rolls more credible. The tirade against the SIR may not yield the results Rahul & Co hope for.

Competitive Opposition

The just-concluded Monsoon Session was marked by near-continuous disruptions by the I.N.D.I.A. bloc and while the constituents sought to present a united front, some cracks showed up towards the end when Home Minister Amit Shah introduced three legislations aimed at ensuring mandatory resignation of leaders holding constitutional posts, including the prime minister and chief ministers, if arrested or detained for more than 30 days. While Congress and SP leaders intervened during the introduction of the Bills, Trinamool Congress raised slogans in the well of Lok Sabha. Trinamool MPs claimed they were the “real” Opposition.

ONOE Gathers Pace

Former minister and Pali MP PP Chaudhary, who heads the parliamentary committee examining the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill that seeks simultaneous Lok Sabha and state elections, is increasingly optimistic with several prominent jurists and former judges of the Supreme Court offering their opinion. None of them has questioned the constitutional validity or benefits of simultaneous polls. Suggestions on subjects like EC’s powers to terminate an Assembly are likely to find favour with the committee which is examining the Bill minutely.

A Chance for Rekha Gupta

Now that the Supreme Court has injected much-needed common sense into its order on stray dogs in Delhi and NCR, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has an opportunity to show leadership and device a policy that treats strays humanely and balances public health concerns. This may involve not only getting the municipal corporation to do its job of neutering strays but also forging a meaningful partnership with NGOs, RWAS and public-spirited individu­als that can control the stray population and ensure dogs do not become victims of an ill-informed debate.

Gor’s Assignment

The tone of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on ties with the US indicate that India will continue to reject the Trump administration’s reasoning on imposing a 25 per cent additional tariff “penalty” on India for buying Russian oil. Jaishankar’s terse brush-off that no one is under compulsion to purchase refined petroleum products from India suggests that Trump’s ambassadorial pick Sergio Gor might be advised to avoid impolitic commentary on what India should do whenever he reaches New Delhi.

Biplab Deb’s New Avatar

The case of Harjinder Singh, who has been held in the US for causing the death of three people, put the spotlight on how illegals are smuggled into America and Canada and provided documents. Sikhs for Justice leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun runs a firm that offers ‘advice’ on immigration which is not unrelated to his activism. People who arrive in the US by barely legal routes are recruited to show up for so-called pro-Khalistan protests and, in fact, have no choice but to do so. It is not a surprise that they are caught out, sometimes with tragic consequences.

Khalistan and Illegals

Former chief ministers often fade away unless they manage to remain leaders of Opposition or land a significant political assignment. Former Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb led BJP’s first government in a state that was under the iron fist of the Left for almost 20 years. Now as MP for Tripura West, Deb is busy asking parliamentary questions about the Northeast’s development indicators, public infrastructure and road connectivity. Deb seems to be taking his parliamentary duties seriously. At 53, he might be justified in feeling his career is not over and it might pay to be updated.

Amit ShahBihar Assembly Election 2025Biplab DebKhalistanPP ChaudharyRahul GandhiRekha GuptaTejashwi Yadav