From tone and tenor of Mayawati’s speech, it is clear the Congress should not take BSP’s support for granted. The Congress leaderships in M.P. and Rajasthan have to carve out a majority by winning over the Independents, many of whom are rebel Congressmen; they contested because they were denied ticket by the leadership. They will return back to the party-fold most willingly.

As the Congress in M.P. and Rajasthan have wafer-thin majority, the Chief Ministers of the two states should be experienced and tactful in the two state to deal with any situation. Rahul Gandhi has wisely chosen Kamal Nath to lead the party in Madhya Pradesh. Kamal Nath is shrewd enough politically and has administrative experience of long years as a minister at the Centre.

The other aspirant Jyotiraditya Scindia, aged 47, is bright and has made a mark in Parliament but possesses no political and administrative experience. The state-level politics is most intricate. Scindia’s influence is limited to Gwalior-Chambal belt. His royal lineage may not fit well with the Congress’s attempt to identify itself with the common man.

Rahul Gandhi showed same wisdom in choosing leader in Rajasthan. After hours of talks, spread over two days, the logjam broke and a formula was worked out, according to which, Gehlot became the CM and the young Sachin Pilot agreed to be the deputy CM. These are difficult times; Congress needs experienced and politically astute leaders to lead the party in the desert state. Gehlot, having been already CM for two terms, is more suited to be CM and the Central leadership has wisely decided in his favour. Sachin is 41 and can wait. Rahul should ensure that the old and young leaders function as a team and should not become rivals.

There not much problem in picking up a leader in Chhattisgarh as the party has massive majority. The local leaders will accept the High Command’s decision.

The ugly demonstration by supporters of Scindia and Sachin show that the Congress is divided even before the two leaders began their innings. So soon after electoral victory, when the bigger battle is ahead, the ugly demonstrations is an act of cross indiscipline and has to be put down with heavy hands. Both Scindia and Sachin should ask their followers to desist from such acts.

Barely after two weeks will begin the year 2019, the election year. It is said that the Congress victory in three states in Hindi heartland will have bearing on general elections due in April and May. Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have also been stronghold of BJP too. The saffron party has been dented but not wiped out. The Congress governments have to show results and fulfill the promises Congress President Rahul Gandhi has made to the people.

With national elections scheduled barely four months from now, any perceived inability to meet campaign promises is fraught with immediate risk. The party’s manifesto for Chhattisgarh has pledged to waive the loans of farmers “within ten days of government formation”. That by itself, is amenable to flexible interpretation. The states that have implemented debt relief in recent years have either limited the same credit extended by Cooperative Banks (Punjab) or restricted it to certain outstanding amount (Rs1-5 lakh in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra). Besides, they have imposed eligibility conditions that exclude, for instance, farmers who have filed income tax returns or have family members with government jobs. But such dithering may not be easy when April-may 2019 isn’t far away.

But more difficult promise to meet is paying paddy farmers a minimum support price of Rs. 2,500 per quintal, which is more than Rs 1,750 rate fixed by the Centre. That, given an annual paddy procurement of nearly 50 lakh tones from Chhattisgarh, would cost the state exchequer a whooping Rs. 3,750 crores. And since the kharif marketing season is already underway, this money will have to be paid well in time to reap the electoral award. In MP too the Congress faces a similar pressure of implementing a Rs. 500 quintal bonus on soyabean and maize that was announced by outgoing Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government. The estimated cost of this on expected sales of 28 lakh tonnes of soyabean and 16 lakh tonnes of maize in mandis across the state—is Rs2,200 crore, to be paid after the marketing season ending next month. Political exigency may leave the new dispensation with little choice but to foot the bill.

The unfortunate by product of such political competition is policies that will eventually harm the farmer. How is his cause going to be served through unrealistic MSPs that drive away the private trade, or loan waver that will discourage banks from extending further credit? This is where K Chandrasekhar Rao government in Telangana holds promise. Under its Rythu Bandhu Scheme, farmers are given a flat Rs.4000 per-acre-per season support. The best thing about the scheme is that it is not market distorting. Farmers will be paid the subsidy directly, irrespective of which crop they grow or whatever be the market prices. Yes, it is a matter of detail. For now, the good news is that Rythu Bandhu has also paid political dividends. (IPA Service)