Acid test for Manmohan Singh's regime
The immediate challenge that the Manmohan Singh government is facing is in the form of cut motions on finance bill. The Congress core committee is now on the job of saving its face in the Parliament during vote on finance bills.
THE CONGRESS-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Center, headed by Dr Manmohan Singh suddenly seems locked in one crisis after another crisis. Its compulsion to drop high profile Shashi Tharoor, from the union cabinet, fearing the opposition may take advantage from, exposing its internal weaknesses too. After the impressive verdict of 2009 elections, Dr Manmohan Singh regime was seen comfortable as the main opposition BJP was locked in its own internal bickerings. The Left is no more in a position to create trouble to it as its own governments in West Bengal and Kerala are facing major threats for their own survival.
However, since CRPF jawans’ ambush in Dantewada of Chhattisgarh, the fortunes of UPA seems to be turning critical. The Maoists massacre has exposed the `political will’ among the UPA partners to fight against `red corridor’.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram’s emotional plans to `finish out’ Maoists agenda was openly vetoed by UPA’s critical allay and union minister Mamata Benerjee, AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh and many other Congress leaders. Even Defence Minister A K Antony distanced himself from Chidambaram’s plans to deploy army into anti-Maoists operations.
Being a close associate of Rahul Gandhi, Tharoor enjoyed higher-clout in the UPA regime. But the Congress high command is not making light of his departure from the union cabinet. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s statement in the Parliament and Income Tax higher authorities’ raids on IPL, indicate that the Government is serious to take revenge by sacking Lalit Modi from IPL.
However, these attempts are likely to create problems to UPA’s another critical ally, NCP’s supremo and union minister, Sharad Pawar. If Manmohan Singh is unable to keep Sharad Pawar and Mamata Benerjee in good humour, it may send signals across the political circles that UPA is bound to divide much before 2014 elections. Already indications have spread that Rahul Gandhi is insisting that Congress should go alone in the next elections paving way for him to take the mantle of Prime Minister.
Divisions in UPA may only benefit BJP-led NDA. Already Left parties seem to be not so enthusiastic to continue their anti-BJP stand. They were maintaining floor coordination with BJP in the Parliament to push UPA government into corner.
Another bigger and immediate challenge that the Manmohan Singh government is facing is in the form of cut motions on finance bill. In the Parliament, if Left and BJP together stand on these bills and they could mobilize support of some UPA partners, the Government is bound to face critical challenge. The Congress core committee is now on the job of saving its face in the Parliament during vote on finance bills. As a precaution, it has already decided to put Women Reservation Bill into cold storage for the time being.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram’s emotional plans to `finish out’ Maoists agenda was openly vetoed by UPA’s critical allay and union minister Mamata Benerjee, AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh and many other Congress leaders. Even Defence Minister A K Antony distanced himself from Chidambaram’s plans to deploy army into anti-Maoists operations.
Being a close associate of Rahul Gandhi, Tharoor enjoyed higher-clout in the UPA regime. But the Congress high command is not making light of his departure from the union cabinet. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s statement in the Parliament and Income Tax higher authorities’ raids on IPL, indicate that the Government is serious to take revenge by sacking Lalit Modi from IPL.
However, these attempts are likely to create problems to UPA’s another critical ally, NCP’s supremo and union minister, Sharad Pawar. If Manmohan Singh is unable to keep Sharad Pawar and Mamata Benerjee in good humour, it may send signals across the political circles that UPA is bound to divide much before 2014 elections. Already indications have spread that Rahul Gandhi is insisting that Congress should go alone in the next elections paving way for him to take the mantle of Prime Minister.
Divisions in UPA may only benefit BJP-led NDA. Already Left parties seem to be not so enthusiastic to continue their anti-BJP stand. They were maintaining floor coordination with BJP in the Parliament to push UPA government into corner.
Another bigger and immediate challenge that the Manmohan Singh government is facing is in the form of cut motions on finance bill. In the Parliament, if Left and BJP together stand on these bills and they could mobilize support of some UPA partners, the Government is bound to face critical challenge. The Congress core committee is now on the job of saving its face in the Parliament during vote on finance bills. As a precaution, it has already decided to put Women Reservation Bill into cold storage for the time being.
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