Kejriwal in ED Custody
By Insaf
Delhi’s high political drama with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal firm on running AAP government from ED custody has left everyone guessing—will there be Central rule. The BJP is gunning for it as AAP leaders have ruled out his resignation, insisting he will run his government from inside the jail. And while he is doing so in judicial custody so far, issuing instructions to his ministers to ensure people don’t suffer, Lt-governor Saxena is quoted to have said: “I can assure the people of Delhi that the government will not be run from jail.” He said that getting work done in Delhi is a tough task, ‘Whatever you try to do, there are some forces that put their entire strength into stopping that work. And if you are able to successfully complete that work, then these forces try to take credit.’ The pow-wow between the two is well-known and it has to be seen, who will run the show as the judicial custody is till April 1. Kejriwal did not get interim stay and at same time the high court dismissed a PIL seeking his removal from CM’s post, saying the same fell outside the scope of judicial interference and it is for ‘other wings of the government to examine in accordance with the law.’
At his end, Kejriwal has trashed the ED’s case against him in the liquor scam saying in court on Thursday that the ‘actual’ excise scam started after the ED investigation in August 2022, whereas the 2021-22 Delhi Excise Policy was later scrapped. He accused the agency of having two sinister motives: ‘to crush his AAP and to declare it corrupt.’ Besides, the ED was running an extortion racket, as revealed by the electoral bonds scheme. A pertinent question being: ‘Are four statements enough to arrest a sitting CM?’ The ED, he said can keep him in ‘custody as long as it wants.’ Meanwhile AAP and BJP are continuing their protests — demanding for his release and pressing for his resignation respectively. All depends now on the timing and whether Kejriwal gets relief from the court. With elections round the corner will the Centre have its wa and whether its enemy in the national capital be decimated, is the big question.
Cracks In MVA
Cracks are emerging in opposition MVA’s coalition in Maharashtra. The Shiv Sena-UBT announcing candidates for Sangli and Mumbai South Central and Mumbai North West, in its first list of 16 on Wednesday, has upset ally Congress as it was keen to contest these. It thus urged its partner to reconsider the decision saying it doesn’t suit ‘coalition dharma’. However, SS-UBT has responded with: ‘there’s always a give and take’ and despite resentment among its cadres has given Ramtek, Kolhapur and Amravati to it. Plus, it cautions ‘nobody should do anything that will directly help BJP’ and the alliance would do well as a cohesive unit, rather than individual parties. However, the MVA failed to get Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) on board as its chief Prakash Ambedkar party announced 8 candidates accusing the alliance of trying to use his outfit to promote ‘dynastic politics’, which his party is trying to resist. The MVA perhaps may find solace that all is not well in the BJP camp too. The induction of independent MP Navneet Rana and giving her the Amravati seat hasn’t gone down well with some ruling allies, including an independent MLA and a former MP who belongs to Eknath Shinde-led SS.
ED In Kerala
The Enforcement Directorate now steam rolls into God’s own country. On Wednesday, it filed a case under PMLA against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter Veena Vijayan and her IT firm, Exalogic Solutions, following a complaint by Serious Fraud Investigation Office, under Union Corporate Affairs Ministry. It’s alleged that ‘illegal payments’ of Rs 1.72 crore were made to her IT firm in 2018/2019, by a private firm Cochin Minerals And Rutile Ltd, even though it hadn’t provided any service. The ED’s action also follows a month after Karnataka High Court dismissed her firm’s plea against investigation by SFIO. The CPM has accused the ED of doing ‘daily labour’ for BJP but ‘it and its people aren’t the ones who will surrender to such tactics and cases.” Chief Minister has trashed the move to tarnish his image and defame him and that too just before the polls. Will it impact results, needs to be watched.
Ladakh Fast & March
“In the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi”, is climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s next phase of protest to get Prime Minister Modi to fulfil his promise of statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the 6th Schedule of the Constitution to protect the environment. In his X post on Thursday, he asked the people of Ladakh to join the ‘Changthang Pashmina March’ to the China border on 7 April and use their vote (on My 20) ‘very carefully’ in country’s interest. Wangchuk has been battling to put the spotlight on ‘destruction in name of development’, wherein Changthang shepherds are being forced to sell their herd as acres of grazing land has been taken over by industrialists, besides Chinese encroachment, not spoken of. While he thanked the supporters — 10,000 people at the venue and over 60,000 others participating over the past 20 days, he had a cryptic message for Modi: “He is a devotee of Lord Ram and should follow his teaching of ‘pran jaye par vachan na jaye’ (one may lose their life, but must not break their promise)…We don’t think of Modi and Amit (Shah) as just politicians, we would rather like to think of them as statesmen and for that they will have to show some character and some farsightedness.”
BJP Bait In HP
The switchover in Himachal Pradesh has paid off incredibly well for all the six disqualified Congress MLAs. On Tuesday, BJP named them as its candidates for Assembly bypolls, to be held on 1 June, with the four Lok Sabha seats, days after they had crossed over. Recall, they were disqualified a month earlier for defying a party whip to be present and vote during the cut motions and budget. Interestingly, while Chief Minister Sukhu said, people ‘will give a befitting reply to those practising ‘aaya ram, gaya ram’ culture, especially those who sold themselves…’ he added some BJP leaders were in touch him and may join! Likely, as a former BJP minister Markanda quit the party, announced he would contest the bypolls as ‘Congress’; the entire block unit of Lahaul Spiti too resigned in his support; another BJP leader said he will contest as an Independent and yet another urged the party to review its decision. Predictably, the numbers game won’t stop here. The Congress needs to keep its remaining flock together, for the BJP could entice more by dangling the carrot. — INFA