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The on-going Uttarakhand crisis of ‘Aya Rams, Gaya Rams’ shows that all is not well in the political system. Despite stringent anti-defection laws and other measures put in place, the legislators are able to circumvent the system, more so in a small state. Things have gone out of control in Uttarakhand as the crisis has been blown into much bigger proportions raising constitutional questions, legal remedies and also the court questioning the justification of president’s R\rule. The story does not begin here as it is a continuation of what happened in Arunachal Pradesh six months ago when another small state was brought under president’s rule following rebellion in the ruling Congress party.

CHANDIGARH: Are the latest actions and utterances of the BJP’s top brass signs of desperation or of premonition? Do these reflect the party’s fears about negative impact the past few weeks developments might have on the saffron party and the Modi government if the party suffers a setback in the coming five state assembly polls? Answers are YES.

The latest clinching of the deals by the Indian oil companies for purchasing stakes in the major Russian oilfields, is a major step for import dependent India in strengthening its energy security taking advantage of the present lower level of crude oil prices in the global market and the earnestness of Russia to expand its relations with India in the energy sector in view of the country being faced with western sanctions for its intervention in Ukraine. Russia has for long acted as a strategic partner for India in the oil sector and the then Soviet Union helped the Indian Government in setting up the oil exploration agency the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) in 1956. In fact, the indigenous base of India’s oil industry was built with massive assistance of the Soviet regime.

Merger move of four parties, JD(U), RLD, JVM(P), SJP may not significantly impact the electoral scenario for Uttar Pradesh assembly, but it would certainly have a wider implication at the national level and shaping the national political contour. While the merger would project JD(U) strongman and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar as the new face for the top job in 2019, the immediate gainer expectedly appears to be the Jat leader Ajit Singh who will get a place in the Rajya Sabha after a long time.

Nepal and China have just signed a slew of ten agreements. One of these is on extending the existing railway line from Tibet to Nepal ‘to boost connectivity’. China has also assured Nepal to ‘safeguard’ her ‘sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity’ and non-interference in Nepal’s internal affairs. In the backdrop of the recent cooling off of India-Nepal relations, the strategic significance of the extension of the railway line and the Chinese assurance on safeguarding Nepal’s sovereignty is obvious.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Differences within the United Democratic Front(UDF) have deepened with big brother Congress refusing to be more accommodative of the allies’ demands for more seats.

Literally, the writings are on the wall. They are there all over Kolkata and West Bengal, also in banners and festoons. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s All-India Trinamool Congress (TMC) has occupied nearly 80 percent of the walls across the state. It would appear Kolkata and Bengal have already given their informal verdict in favour of TMC to govern the state until May, 2021. The unprecedented six-phase, seven-day assembly election in Bengal – from April 4 to May 5 – announced by Election Commission to ostensively ensure free and fair polls in the state under batteries of central observers and police may have been welcomed by opposition parties, but the general public is upset with such irritating measures that also seek to downgrade their political maturity, question their political judgement and ability to participate in the secret ballot system. A similar, though less aggressive, action by the Election Commission during the last 2011 assembly polls was totally rejected by voters, who ejected the 35-year-old Left Front rule from the seat of power in the Writers’ Buildings to opt for TMC, for the first time.

It is rare for the National Human Rights Commission to intervene in the affairs of a university. If it has nevertheless done so following renewed unrest in Hyderabad central university, the reason is the BJP’s inability to deal with disaffected youths.

The magnificent electoral victory of Mr Narendra Modi in 2014 leading BJP into an unshakble majority in Lok Sabha, far from meeting at least some of expectations generated then, is turning into an arbitrary exercise by the ruling party to limit civil and democratic rights under our constitution.

The six-week long suspense in Jammu and Kashmir has ended. Mehbooba Mufti and BJP after long standoff have come to terms and Mehbooba is poised to take over as the first woman Chief Minister of the state. She is expected to chart out a new course of governance different from her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s legacy.