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AAP-BJP’s deathly duel

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Arvind Kejriwal

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Why the AAP imbroglio is more than an internal squabble

By Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jr

Many Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supporters, who are also ardent anti-BJP people, have been puzzled, confused and even distraught over the B-grade Hindi film plot unfolding on the AAP front. The disclosure of sacked water minister Kapil Mishra that he had seen health minister Satyendra Jain offering a Rs 2-crore bribe to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is both murky and ridiculous. And this is preceded by the twist of Kumar Vishwas, the poet-demagogue of the party being pacified by Kejriwal even as he sacked Vishwas-acolyte Mishra, and how Vishwas-baiter Amanullah Khan is dropped from the ministry but given the chairmanship of legislative committees. Is Kejriwal engaged in the acrobatics of keeping all the balls in the air?

There is reason to believe in the conspiracy theory that the BJP might be fishing in troubled waters as it were. After the victory in the Delhi municipal elections last month, it is natural that the aggressive BJP is looking out for ways of pushing AAP to the brink. It had been trying to do that by harassing the Kejriwal government through former Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung, though the present L-G Anil Baijal is lying low for the moment. It can be the case that some disgruntled elements and other opportunists in the AAP may have been offered enough incentives to rock the AAP boat. It would be naïve to blame the BJP for trying to break up the AAP. That is part of politics – cunning, intrigue, and a bit of foul play too. So, it is not surprising that Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari, the Bhojpuri film actor-turned-political hero, should promptly demand the resignation of Kejriwal on moral grounds after Mishra’s bribe charge.

The AAP-BJP rivalry is bitter because the two are in many ways ideological twins. This is something that Delhi’s middle-class worshippers of AAP tend to forget. AAP and the BJP occupy the same political ground of lower middle class self-righteousness and nationalist piety. AAP’s success undermines the BJP, and it holds true conversely as well. That is why, the buzz from Punjab assembly election was that the BJP had preferred a Congress victory rather than AAP’s and that it has even facilitated Congress’ win by transferring its vote to its ostensible rival.

It is reasonable to infer that apart from consolidating its Hindutva constituency of the lower middle classes through its religious and nationalist appeal, and attracting the poor through its economic populism, the BJP wants to divide the opposition, break up the other parties when those parties are facing internal dissent. The BJP has managed to weaken the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) by admitting some of the leaders who walked away from the party in the run-up to the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. It is wooing members of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha who are not happy with Navin Patnaik lording it over the state and the party, and it is turning the heat on members of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), who are caught in wrongdoing. It is not then surprising that BJP is looking to take advantage of trouble inside AAP.

The BJP has a special negative bonding with the AAP because both of them are strong anti-corruption proponents, and it essentially turns out to be an anti-Congress offensive. AAP subscribes to the same nationalist fervour as does the BJP. In electoral terms, the two parties appeal to the same lower middle class constituency.

It is not surprising then that each wants the other out. While AAP has not done anything so far to undermine the BJP support base, BJP has been quite sore with AAP’s Delhi assembly success and it is using every dirty trick – it is more an amoral rather than immoral approach – in the book to attack AAP.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Yogi Adityanath says Congress insulting Ambedkar since Nehru days

Adityanath pointed to examples of Congress’ alleged negligence, including its initial hesitance to include Ambedkar in the Constituent Assembly and the Drafting Committee, crediting Mahatma Gandhi for securing Ambedkar’s position.

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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday hit out at the Congress, accusing it of disrespecting B.R. Ambedkar, the principal architect of the Indian Constitution, both during his life and after his death.

During a press conference held at his official residence at 5 Kalidas Marg, he also claimed that Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, opposed Ambedkar’s inclusion in the Constitution Drafting Committee.

Adityanath’s comments came in the wake of a controversy sparked by Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks about Ambedkar in the Rajya Sabha last week. Surrounded by ministers Swatantra Dev Singh and Asim Arun, the Chief Minister emphasised that the purpose of the press conference was to reveal what he called the unethical and unconstitutional actions of Congress and other opposition parties against Ambedkar.

“Dr. B.R. Ambedkar played a pivotal role in India’s freedom struggle, the formulation of the Constitution, and the foundational years of an independent India. Despite facing numerous societal challenges, he achieved the highest accolades in law, finance, and economics. His contributions to the nation are unmatched, and he is deeply revered by every Indian,” Adityanath stated.

He contrasted the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) respect for Ambedkar with the Congress party’s history of disrespect. Adityanath highlighted the BJP’s initiatives to honor Ambedkar’s legacy, including memorials in significant locations like Mhow, Nagpur, Mumbai, and London, where Ambedkar pursued his studies.

“Under BJP leadership, from Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s time to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tenure, we have made every effort to uphold Ambedkar’s ideals. In stark contrast, the Congress has consistently insulted him and minimised his contributions,” he asserted.

Adityanath pointed to examples of Congress’ alleged negligence, including its initial hesitance to include Ambedkar in the Constituent Assembly and the Drafting Committee, crediting Mahatma Gandhi for securing Ambedkar’s position.

He also recalled an incident during the UPA regime when a textbook depicted a derogatory cartoon of Ambedkar being prodded by Nehru, which was withdrawn only after widespread protests, leading to an apology from then HRD Minister Kapil Sibal.

The Chief Minister claimed that the Congress worked to defeat Ambedkar in elections, including the 1952 general elections for the Mumbai North constituency and the 1954 by-elections.

He alleged that even Nehru campaigned against Ambedkar to ensure his loss, asserting that the Congress consistently aimed to silence the voices of Dalits and marginalized communities.

Adityanath also criticised the Congress for not granting national honors to Ambedkar during his lifetime, stating, “It was only when a government supported by the BJP came to power that Ambedkar was finally awarded the Bharat Ratna.”

He further emphasised the BJP’s commitment to realizing Ambedkar’s vision through programs aimed at benefiting Dalits and marginalized groups, reiterating the party’s dedication to preserving Ambedkar’s legacy while accusing the Congress of ongoing disrespect and divisive politics.

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Government set to table One Nation, One Election bill in Lok Sabha on December 16

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Parliament Winter Session: Lok Sabha speaker warns opposition, No-Confidence motion against Rajya Sabha Chairman

The stage is set for a major legislative push by the central government as two bills related to the ambitious “One Nation, One Election” initiative are scheduled for introduction in the Lok Sabha on Monday, December 16.

Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal is expected to present The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill and The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, marking a significant step towards implementing simultaneous Lok Sabha and state legislative assembly elections.

On Thursday, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, gave its nod to the constitutional amendment bill that seeks to align elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. This decision underscores the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s commitment to its long-standing agenda of electoral synchronization, aimed at reducing the frequency of polls and associated costs.

The Cabinet also approved a supplementary bill to amend specific provisions related to three Union territories with legislative assemblies—Delhi, Puducherry, and Jammu & Kashmir. This aligns their governance framework with the overarching constitutional amendments proposed under the “One Nation, One Election” initiative.

The constitutional amendment bill aims to streamline the electoral calendar by establishing a legal framework for conducting Lok Sabha and state assembly elections simultaneously. However, the government has, for now, opted to exclude local body polls, such as those for municipalities and panchayats, from this framework. A high-level committee chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind had earlier suggested a phased approach to include local elections in the future.

The concept of “One Nation, One Election” has been a focal point in political discourse, with proponents arguing it will enhance governance by reducing electoral disruptions and fostering policy stability. Critics, however, have raised concerns about the logistical and constitutional challenges of synchronizing diverse electoral cycles across India’s federal structure.

This legislative development will undoubtedly dominate parliamentary discussions as political parties prepare to deliberate on the feasibility and implications of reshaping India’s electoral landscape.

The introduction of these bills is expected to spark robust debate, with the government emphasizing the potential benefits of reduced administrative burdens and streamlined governance, while opposition parties scrutinize its impact on India’s democratic fabric.

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At Congress meet, Kharge blames internal bickering, statements against own party leaders for election losses

Kharge noted that the atmosphere was in the Congress’ favour during the elections but pointed out that just the atmosphere being in its favour does not guarantee victory.

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Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday asserted that the internal bickering in the party and statements against own party leaders were among the reasons for the loss of the grand old party in the recently concluded Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana.

Noting that statements against own party leaders harm the party a lot, Kharge said that tough decisions will have to be taken, accountability be fixed and shortcomings removed by learning lessons from the election results.

In his address during the Congress Working Committee meeting at the AICC headquarters, Kharge highlighted the EVMs issue and said that the EVMs have made the electoral process suspect, stressing it is the constitutional responsibility of the Election Commission to ensure free and fair elections in the country.

“Unless we fight elections unitedly and stop making statements against each other, how will we be able to defeat our opponents politically?” the Congress president said.

“Therefore, it is important that we strictly follow discipline. We have to remain united under all circumstances. The party also has the weapon of disciplining. But we do not want to put our comrades in any bondage,” he said.

“Therefore, everyone needs to think that a victory of the Congress party is our victory and a defeat is our defeat. Our strength lies in the strength of the party,” the Congress president said.

He also noted that the Congress made a comeback with new enthusiasm riding on its performance in the Lok Sabha polls and said the election results of three states were not as per the party’s expectations.

“INDIA parties formed the government in 2 out of 4 states. But our performance was below expectation. This is a challenge for us in terms of the future,” he said.

“We need to immediately learn from the election results and correct all our weaknesses and shortcomings at the organisational level. These results are a message for us,” he said.

Kharge noted that the atmosphere was in the Congress’ favour during the elections but pointed out that just the atmosphere being in its favour does not guarantee victory.

“We will have to learn to convert the atmosphere into results. What is the reason that we are not able to take advantage of the atmosphere?” he said.

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