Pawar’s Plans

At a time when the opposition in Maharashtra was trying to pin down the Shinde-Fadnavis government on issues like the border row with Karnataka, the Nationalist Congress Party-Shiv Sena (Uddhav)-Congress combine was left pondering Ajit Pawar’s moves. It is no secret that Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar share a cordial relationship. In the winter of 2019 the two showed up at Raj Bhavan at dawn to take the oath of office in a coup that did not come off. Last week, Ajit Pawar, who is leader of the opposition, flew from Nagpur to Mumbai on a plane provided by the state government to meet his former state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh who had just been released from jail. Ajit brushed aside speculation, saying it was only a personal gesture on the part of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde (rather than Fadnavis). But Pawar’s signature was notably absent in the opposition’s no-confidence motion submitted to the speaker. The real worry, say insiders, is that Ajit Pawar continues to keep NCP circles guessing about his plans as he considers his claim to being party patriarch Sharad Pawar’s political successor stronger than any other leader’s.

Booster Broker?

Soon after an explosion in China’s Covid cases led to a fresh alert in India, talk about a ‘second’ booster dose surfaced in the media and medical circles. The source of this was a meeting convened by the health ministry which was attended by, among others, members of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), including its former president JA Jayalal who is understood to have suggested that medical personnel be allowed the additional shot. The proposal, not backed by any scientific evidence underlining its utility, then gathered a life of its own till senior officials pointed out the obvious—the immediate priority is to improve the uptake of the third booster/precaution doses stuck at around 22 crore shots. The evidence suggests that three shots provide strong immunity against Omicron-type variants doing the damage in China. Besides, there is effective T-cell memory in the Indian population that recognises the virus and helps antibody production. The second booster prescription seems aimed more at playing to the gallery within the medical community. Jayalal’s term as IMA president coincided with the worst phase of the pandemic during which the organisation and the Centre were often at odds, particularly over data on deaths of medical personnel. The official count was an aggregate of deaths reported by the states while the tally claimed by IMA was often much higher.

Himachal Deadlock

It will soon be a month since Congress won the Himachal Pradesh election and there is no sign of a cabinet with Chief Minister Sukhwinder Sukhu saying that the council of ministers will be constituted after the first Assembly session of the new Vidhan Sabha is over. So, despite all newly elected legislators marching with Rahul Gandhi in Rajasthan as part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, and a meeting of the chief minister and state Congress chief Pratibha Singh with Mallikarjun Kharge, there is no breakthrough on rival claims. The followers of Singh, widow of Congress veteran Virbhadra Singh, continue to be disgruntled over her claims being disregarded. In turn, her opponents point to Congress’ poor showing in Mandi.

Dhankhar’s Show

BJP’s unprecedented victory in Gujarat, where no party had ever won 156 seats, has had a predictable effect on the winter session of Parliament which saw fewer disruptions than on previous occasions. But while BJP’s success, despites its loss in Himachal Pradesh, dampened the opposition’s spirits, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar made more than a mark in Rajya Sabha where the government finds the going much tougher than Lok Sabha. Dhankhar’s skills as a lawyer and practitioner of politics were evident in the manner he responded to queries from the leader of the opposition, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and other stalwarts seeking regular adjournments. Rather than just alternating between stern warnings and pleas, Dhankhar spoke at length on the reasons for his decisions even as he promised not to discriminate between members on either side of the aisle. His sharp criticism of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s allegation that the Centre was “delegitimising” the judiciary, wherein he noted that high constitutional offices should not be subject to partisan political stances, stung Congress but Dhankhar refused to withdraw or amend his comments.

G20 Platform

Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues to flag India’s G20 presidency as an opportunity to create awareness and advance key governance initiatives. Speaking at the Indian Science Congress on January 3, he highlighted programmes and opportunities for women and youth, calling for an institutional framework that will encourage talent. The MUDRA small loan programme, talent hunts and hackathons had encouraged entrepreneurship and startups and this was helping India’s score on the innovation index. He also called on scientists to work in key areas like the use of biotechnology to reduce post-harvest losses, a clear indication that despite concerns about the recent approvals for GM Mustard seed production and testing, these are unlikely to be reversed notwithstanding the objections of some Sangh Parivar organisations. He also stressed the importance of observation and evidence-based science, an oblique response to critics who have accused the government of promoting non-scientific thinking. Opposition leaders have sought to play down India’s G20 presidency initiatives, arguing this is a routine rotational event. But Modi clearly intends to turn it into a platform for governance and diplomacy.

Chinese Whispers

Do outgoing Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his successor Qin Gang’s apparently more accommodative statements on the border dispute with India raise the possibility of new initiatives? In his year-end review of China’s diplomacy not long after the clash in Tawang, Wang, who is now a member of the Politburo besides being a state councillor, noted that India and China are committed to upholding stability in border areas and maintaining diplomatic and military-to-military channels. In more recent comments, Qin said both sides are willing to ease the situation. The continued pressure from the US in the Indo-Pacific and Washington’s increased backing for Taiwan are seen as a factor that might persuade China of the need to dial down tensions with India. This would not be the first time such a calculus would work with China, apart from India’s success in ensuring its ties with the US did not come at the cost of its Russian relationship. But India is maintaining the pace of its development of border infrastructure and there is no let-up with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh iterating that national security objectives would get priority. Indian planners expect the People’s Liberation Army’s border adventurism will continue to pose a threat and are looking to be guided by the ancient Roman dictum ‘Let him who desires peace, prepare for war’.

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