Who’s the Senior Partner?

The disdain with which the Samajwadi Party (SP) has treated Congress over seat allocation for the Assembly bypolls in Uttar Pradesh (UP) will not surprise keen observers of Parliament who would notice that the vibes between Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav are not great. Though they sit within a couple of feet of each other on the front row of Opposition benches, they hardly exchange a word. Yadav has his own little circle with Faizabad MP Awadhesh Prasad next to him. To his right Rahul has Kodikunnil Suresh and KC Venugopal at the back along with Deepender Hooda. Typically, Opposition MPs like NCP Sharad Pawar’s Supriya Sule, Trinamool Congress’ Mahua Moitra and others ‘drop in’ to have a word. Rahul usually positions himself at the head of the anti-BJP bloc by virtue of being the leader of Opposition. But it is not a proposition the SP boss buys into. Yadav is markedly silent when Congress benches and BJP are having a go at one another. The one occasion he did rise was when BJP leader Anurag Thakur’s jibe at Rahul that people asking everyone about their caste do not state their own led to a furore in the House. Yadav got up angrily to ask, “How are you asking someone about their caste?” He had his reasons to intervene since the issue was caste, a topic close to his heart. The commentary that Rahul has earned his spurs as a ‘national’ leader, which has quietened down a bit after BJP’s bounce back in Haryana, does not please the SP camp which feels the I.N.D.I.A. bloc’s strong performance in UP in the Lok Sabha polls was essentially powered by their leader. SP’s careful choice of candidates that appealed to OBC communities and success in fanning fears among Dalit voters that BJP’s ‘400-plus’ slogan was a hidden agenda to amend the Constitution and scrap reservations delivered handsome returns. SP does not deny that the alliance with Congress cemented support of Muslim and other anti-BJP voters, but clearly has its views on who is the senior partner.

Soft Launch of Labour Codes

The labour ministry’s assurance to gig and platform workers that the Centre will frame a policy that provides health and pensions benefits to a workforce estimated to total around 2 crore is a significant decision not only for the vast social constituency it will cover but also for being a ‘soft launch’ of the labour codes which have been passed by Parliament but yet to be notified. The codes have drawn opposition from organised labour for making hire and fire easier but were held back due to the pandemic and then the farm unions’ agitation. There was a fresh question mark after the Lok Sabha results saw BJP return but without a majority. BJP’s convincing win in Haryana has helped restore the spring in the step of BJP leaders. While polls in Maharashtra and Jharkhand are round the corner, to be followed by Delhi, the determination to move ahead on the pending reform agenda is in evidence. The policy the Centre is considering will not be in sync with the provisions of the labour codes that set out detailed work benefits for gig and platform workers. At some point, the Centre will renew a discussion on the codes and hope to take states and organised unions on board.

Diplomatic Missteps

The decision to remain in the picture regarding discussions on the Ukraine war is paying dividends for the Modi government with Russian President Vladimir Putin making several welcoming observations on the subject. Although India has a limited role to play, its advocacy for peace on grounds that the conflict is hurting the Global South and is causing economic stress has an audience. It is an argument that combatants can consider in exploring a reason to engage in peace talks. The discussion finds India receiving more than a few passing mentions and underlines its stated commitment to being a responsible power. The forthcoming visit of German
Chancellor Olaf Scholz is expected to dwell on the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East while also having a strong focus on the Indo-Pacific. There remain some irritants caused by the diplomatic staff posted in India that takes its cues on internal matters from interactions with BJP’s political opponents and critics. This leads to unnecessary actions like the German ambassador’s letter to the family of Saibaba, an academic who faced charges of complicity with Maoists. Though he was let off by the Nagpur Bench of the High Court of Bombay, views on him are divided. The German ambassador’s ill-considered move was amplified by well-known Modi
baiters on social media. Yet, this time round, Scholz has plenty on his plate, having suffered losses to the far-right
in Germany.

America Eyes Gift City

Despite the US being in election mode and recent controversies about alleged plots to assassinate Khalistani leaders, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal found a receptive audience in government and in the private sector during his recent US visit. US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo was particularly keen on getting to know more about the GIFT city located between Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar which is seen as a centre of future excellence and is attracting investors and firms from the US in addition to those from the Gulf. She was also interested in India’s digital technologies and there was a strong convergence on partnering in prospecting and extracting critical and rare minerals that both countries see as crucial to reducing China’s dominance in this field. The areas of dispute have declined and were largely cleared in informal discussions while conclusions were sealed in the official talks. Areas needing work include reducing frictions at state and municipal levels where red tape continues to hamper investments. The list of permissions is still long and often holds up the rollout of businesses. One solution offered by the Indian government is the set of 12 new industrial cities approved in the last Union Budget that will offer plug and play facilities. Although the Modi government awaits the next occupant of the White House, Indian officials are pleased with the progress in ties that are moving on a trajectory largely immune to politics.

Careful With Pakistan

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s visit to Pakistan for a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and a reported exchange on resuming bilateral cricket have triggered talk of a thaw in ties. While the lack of provocation on the Pakistani side, with former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif setting a cordial tone, can be viewed as a good omen, the media might be over-reading the tea leaves. The Pakistani charm offensive included a meeting between Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam and Indian journalists. A hardnosed assessment of the situation will see India’s insistence on action against terrorism remaining the bottom line. And this will not change, not with elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand in November.

Akhilesh YadavDonald TrumpIndia-US relationsNarendra ModiNational PoliticsRahul YadavVladimir Putin