Cause and effect
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) jumped onto the controversy over reports that two election commissioners wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar expressing differences over procedures and work allocation and quickly shuttered its stuttering campaign to ‘expose’ deficiencies at government schools in states governed by BJP. The latest CJP protest at Jantar Mantar delivered headlines but the foul-mouthed rabble comprising predictable elements who hold several grouses against the Modi government spoilt the effect. CJP’s tendency to hop from issue to issue has weakened the movement that secured the resignation of former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leaks. Sticking to student issues such as examination reforms might serve CJP better. As results for the Rajasthan local body elections and the Delhi University student polls showed, being in public life requires perseverance.
Dhami’s Task
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is set to complete an uninterrupted tenure ahead of state polls due in February 2027. This is something of a record as both BJP and Congress have chopped and changed chief ministers. But his task is demanding and hinges a lot on how swiftly the administration repairs damages to road and other infra after the monsoon. In the past, Dhami has shown his acumen to act quickly after calamities like floods and this is an acid test as BJP seeks an unprecedented third consecutive term in office.
Civil Musings
Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan’s letters to civil servants exhorting them to cut through the chaff and get things done are not just homilies but accompanied by goals to be achieved and practical steps to make administration responsive and effective. His letters are pretty much his thoughts on the matter. Somanathan, who recently received a one-year extension in office, has practised what he preaches by avoiding status quo and challenging norms that are past their use-by-date in his various postings in Tamil Nadu, the PMO and Central ministries.
India-China Détente
Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s visit to the US was closely followed by the Indian strategic community given that Beijing tends to view its relations with New Delhi through the American lens. While it does seem that the Trump administration is looking for a truce, if not a lasting peace, with China, the actual breakthroughs are hard to discern. The optics suggest Xi had the better of the exchanges as Trump tries to stabilise international relations ahead of the US mid-terms. In the short run, the tentative India-China détente should hold.
Model Officer
The chairperson of NDMC Manoj Dwivedi has attracted attention for a proactive style first noticed when he accepted responsibility and apologised for flooding in central Delhi. Thereafter, he has sought public responses to civic matters and set a better example for government agencies and officers.
Outsiders versus Insider
AAP is facing an unusual issue in Punjab where it is under attack for catering to “outsiders” who are enjoying state guest treatment, courtesy local leaders and ministers. Some were reported to have left hastily after being called out. But some opposition MLAs like Congress’ Sukhpal Khaira are going hammer and tongs at AAP.
On the Rebound
One relationship on an upward curve is the India-Canada bilateral one. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s recent meeting with Canadian counterpart Anita Anand is seen as preparatory to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Canada later this year. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has moved swiftly to turn the page on his predecessor Justin Trudeau’s disastrous handling of ties with India. Negotiations on a comprehensive economic partnership agreement have entered a critical phase and the next three months are expected to witness considerable progress setting the stage for closure in the new year.