Manish & Shashi lead the way
The BJP-led government has cleverly linked the proposed delimitation plan to increase the number of seats in Parliament to women’s reservation. The increase to 800-plus seats will create a wider chasm between Central India and the South and give the former a decisive edge during Lok Sabha polls.
This is not something the Opposition is in favour of for obvious reasons. But if they object to this move, the BJP will claim they are anti-women reservations, and that is not a narrative the Opposition wants to lend itself to. This was discussed in the Congress Working Committee as well, and interestingly, one of the Congress leaders who has been articulating the Congress stand is Shashi Tharoor, who certainly has a way with words.
Posting on social media, he stated that “pushing a delimitation exercise alongside the bill could have dangerous consequences for the democratic balance of our states, particularly in the South and Northeast. Many Congress leaders highlighted that the government originally delayed implementation until after the Census. Now, a ‘special session’ is being used for political mileage ahead of state polls and with an eye on delimitation before the 2029 general election.
The Congress remains committed to one-third reservation for women, but it must be inclusive and fair.”
Another Congress leader who has been making a strong case against the proposed move to increase the number of seats in Parliament is Manish Tewari. In fact, a recent column by him on the subject has gone viral, leading even Jairam Ramesh to comment that Manish Tewari’s piece is a must-read for all opposition MPs and the media. And we all know that Jairam is not one who praises his colleagues very easily.
Battling Strong Chief Ministers
What is interesting about these elections is that four of the five states going to the polls have strong Chief Ministers—from Himanta Biswa Sarma in Assam, Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal to M. K. Stalin in Tamil Nadu and Pinarayi Vijayan in Kerala.
Also, each is facing a decade of anti-incumbency, though in Sarma’s case it can be argued that while the BJP was in power, it was Sarbananda Sonowal and not him who was CM for the first term. In fact, as an aside, BJP workers in Assam have been told that the margin this time should be larger than the last one (for those elections were fought with Sonowal as the CM and these are being contested under Himanta’s CM-ship).
But both Sarma and Mamata are tipped to make a comeback, as is Stalin, though the gap between him and EPS will depend on how effective the TVK is in dividing the anti-DMK vote. As far as Pinarayi is concerned, he has ensured that the election is not a walkover for the UDF, but post polls the Congress seems hopeful of a win in the state.
Who will be Keralam CM?
The Congress is hopeful of wresting Kerala from the ruling LDF; so much so that posturing for the Chief Minister’s post has already begun. While V.D. Satheeshan is the most popular leader in the state, he is seen as too junior to supersede some of his seniors for the post.
Ramesh Chennithala, who has for long been biding his time, is someone who is being seriously considered by the central leadership. While Shashi Tharoor made peace with the party’s leadership well before the polls and was a star campaigner criss-crossing the state, he may not make the grade as the party leadership is still a bit wary of him.
As for K. C. Venugopal, he certainly has Rahul Gandhi’s trust. But any elevation will be seen clearly as a central move and not the choice of the state leaders.
Watch this space for more.
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