Return to the Ballot

It seems elections in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) are not too far off. The legal challenge to the delimitation of seats in the Union territory has been thrown out by the Supreme Court which found no merit in the petitions. In an interview to news agency ANI, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said that since the delimitation is over, it is now for the Election Commission (EC) to decide on scheduling the election. Shah’s careful remarks are a strong hint that the Union territory will be going to polls, even though the exact dates are unclear. While it is the EC’s mandate to decide the timing, it will need to hold discussions with the home ministry, all the more so in the case of J&K. The Centre’s assessment that the levels of violence, despite the targeted attacks on Hindus, are low and that its decision to scrap the application of Article 370 to J&K has been justified indicates its confidence. The first election after the abrogation of Article 370 is a test but the home ministry seems ready to take the call. This should also set the stage at a later date for the ‘restoration’ of statehood to J&K. Though political leaders in the Union territory have been raising their voice about the lack of representation, the absence of hartals and quicker development work are being welcomed by most residents.

Expressway High

Of all the highways and expressways being built, the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway is close to Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari. The ebullient politician has often recalled the construction of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, which dramatically reduced travel time and improved the experience, as one of his signal achievements as a minister in the Shiv Sena-BJP government when work on the project was taken up. In his long tenure as Union road minister, Gadkari has several highways to speak of and often reels off new and emerging connectivity to emphasise how travel time is shrinking. The greenfield Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, the first section of which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is accompanied by sophisticated monitoring centres that will extend all along the route. They will check for traffic flows, accidents and violations, and are a model for other highways coming up. Gadkari believes the expressway will open connectivity in states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and make major cities like Jaipur, Udaipur, Indore, Ujjain, and Bhopal much more accessible. The plan is to set up wayside plazas providing amenities, including food and lodging. Gadkari is pleased that India’s longest expressway is progressing well and will be showcased before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and will be a significant feather in his cap.

Debating An Appointment

The appointment of Justice (retired) S Abdul Nazeer as Andhra Pradesh governor set off a predictable debate, with Congress raising questions about the appointment of a recently retired judge of the Supreme Court. In the process, Congress appeared to have forgotten the long history of questionable actions by its gubernatorial appointees, such as the late Ganpatrao Tapase, who swore in Bhajan Lal as Haryana chief minister in 1982 in the most questionable of circumstances. Justice Nazeer was part of the 5:0 ruling in favour of the Hindu litigants in the Ayodhya case, which shielded the verdict from unnecessary controversy. He was seen as a judge who did the right thing, rather than being impressed by causes. In any case, under the constitutional scheme, the governor is the Centre’s representative and will definitely enjoy its confidence. The appointments and transfers included moving Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais to Maharashtra, reflecting the Centre’s continued confidence in the veteran BJP politician. Bais had dealt with the challenge to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s membership of the legislative Assembly which, after much speculation, continues to tick without a conclusion. It would seem Bais continues to be the man for sensitive Raj Bhavans and will now reside in Mumbai’s which is perched on a hill with a breathtaking seaside view. He replaces former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshyari who waded into needless controversy with his references to Shivaji that caused a lot of discomfiture to BJP.

Battle For Mumbai

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Mumbai was seen as a soft launch of the campaign for Mumbai’s prestigious municipal corporation which is round the corner. The contest will be the first big match-up between the deposed Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and the Eknath Shinde Shiv Sena-BJP after the forced change of guard. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been a Shiv Sena fort, an important source of its clout and resources, and the last time round the Sena-BJP alliance had swept. In the altered scenario, with the Thackerays and BJP now at loggerheads, Modi’s schedule was intended to counter the charge that neighbour Gujarat had wrested big-ticket projects from Maharashtra. He inaugurated projects worth more than Rs 38,000 crore and laid the foundation for many others, including hospitals. He also took a swipe at MVA for “anti-development” policies, a reference to the shifting of the Metro shed from Aarey Colony and delaying the project. Sena leaders have been miffed at certain linguistic groups switching loyalties to BJP, apparently part of the Modi effect. It continues to bank on its core of Marathi-speaking supporters but the prime minister has made strenuous efforts to bring them all under the development agenda and reach out to the youth and aspirational sections. Within MVA, Congress is increasingly looking like a straggler and NCP’s strengths in the city are limited. Sena has reasons to view Modi’s visits
with concern.

Defining The Sikkimese

The situation in Sikkim might appear calm after the Supreme Court deleted references in a recent judgment wherein it referred to the state’s Nepali-speaking community as people of foreign origin. But the apex court might have set off a churn over the larger question of identity. Who really are the Sikkimese? The Bhutias and Lepchas are the so-called oldest inhabitants of the region. The Nepali-speaking communities, who comprise the largest group in the state, have been there for a very long time, too. And what about those from the Indian mainland, the so-called old settlers, who had been living in Sikkim before it merged with the rest of India—and who the Supreme Court has now ruled must be granted exemption from paying income tax like other indigenous ‘Sikkimese’ communities? Amidst all this there are concerns about what this would mean for the state and its small population of indigenous communities. According to the latest National Family Health Survey, Sikkim has India’s lowest fertility rate at 1.1. There are already fears of a growing influx of migrants. With state elections due next year, and local parties fuelling the debate, a larger churn over identity seems afoot.

Delhi-Mumbai ExpresswayelectionsIndian politicsJammu and KashmirNarendra ModiNitin GadkariS Abdul Nazeer