Lok Sabha election and Indian politics

As the countdown to India's Lok Sabha elections in May this year has begun, temperature in the country's political arena has been rising. Newly-elected Chief Minister of New Delhi Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party dramatically resigned on February 12 following rejection of a Jana Lokpal bill as being unconstitutional by the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The bill was not placed for debate. The bill died its natural death. While criticising both the Congress and the BJP for not supporting the anti-corruption bill, Arvind Kejriwal demanded holding of fresh election to the Delhi parliament. Another crazy idea of Arvind Kejriwal for holding the parliament session outside the Assembly hall had been turned down. Immediately, he addressed members of his party and people of Delhi pointing out rogue alliance of the Congress and the BJP to turn down the anti-corruption bill. He blamed both the parties for being on the same wave length and alerted people not to vote members of these political parties in the Lok Sabha polls.

Since the Lok Sabha election is due in May, Delhi has been brought under the President's rule.

Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party declared its alliance with Trinamool Congress of Mamata Banarjee. Mamata was critical of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government led by the Congress for placing the Telangana bill in the Lok Sabha to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh. She was of the opinion that the UPA government was responsible for messing up the Telangana issue. She pointed out in this connection that she had succeeded in resolving the issue of Gorkha Pradesh in West Bengal. Earlier, YSR Congress President Jagamohan Reddy and TDP chief Chandra Babu Naidu had sought the support of the Trinamool Congress against bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

Another drama was enacted on the issue of the Telangana  bill in the Lok Sabha on February 12.  Unprecedented pandemonium took place in the Lok Sabha in connection with placing a Telangana bill. It was marked by 'fisticuffs and pepper spraying'. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh described the scene in the parliament as a death to democracy in India. It means the Telangana bill seems to have been laid to rest.

On the other hand, YSP Congress in Andhra Pradesh declared on February 14 bandh (strike) in protest against tabling a bill in the Lok Sabha without taking into consideration the opinion of the House. Jagamohan Reddy described it as a mockery of democracy. It was a black day for the parliament, he said.

While fighting took place in the Lok Sabha in New Delhi, another drama took place in Gujarat state where Chief Minister Narendra Modi will contest the Lok Sabha polls to become the future prime minister of India if the BJP wins. There was a 30-minute tete-e-tete between US Ambassador to India Nancy Powell and Chief Minister Narendra Modi at his residence on February 12. The event turned out to be a piece of juicy news in political arena. Modi has been debarred from visiting America since 2005 because of his alleged involvement in the Gujarat riot in 2002 when more than 2000 Muslims were massacred. Modi had become target of bitter criticism by the Congress in view of his inaction to stop the riot. The meeting between the US Ambassador and Modi might have ended nine-year-long boycott of Modi by the US. He received the US envoy with a bouquet of flowers and discussed issues of mutual interest as well as concern. The US embassy in New Delhi in a statement said the US looked forward to working closely with the government that the Indians choose in the upcoming elections.

 A meeting between the US Ambassador and Modi has strengthened the speculation that the BJP is likely to come to power in India in the next election. The party was in power in 1996 and 1999.

Mohammad Amjad Hossain                     is a retired diplomat.  amjad.21@gmail.com