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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The spat between the CPI(M) leadership in Kerala and party stalwart, V. S. Achuthanandan has taken a sharper edge with the veteran giving back as much as he got in the latest round.

Notwithstanding the blitzkrieg of interactions with the media and invited audiences by the BJP ministers, the first anniversary of the Narendra Modi government hasn’t been an occasion for celebrations with bands playing and sweets being distributed. In fact, the frenetic ministerial initiatives show that the government feels that a lot of explaining has to be done about its performance – or the lack of it.

The make in India campaign, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the ramparts of Red Fort on Independence day last year, will remain only on paper without government making concerted effort to improve the ease of doing business and justifiably this has received top priority of the NDA government during the last one year. India, which is among the bottom in World Bank’s index of ease of doing business has dropped down two places to stand at 142nd out of 189 in World Bank’s latest ranking, underscoring the tough task that lies ahead of government. The NDA government, which wants to make India a business-friendly country, has therefore initiated several steps in the last several months to put Indian economy back on rails.

LUCKNOW: Is BJP returning to the Hindutva agenda after one year in office with the celebration rally by PM Narendra Modi in Mathura on May 25?

Who is right: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal or Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung? Kejriwal insists that, as he heads a democratically elected government, he has right to pick up officers of his choice. But the fact remains that Delhi is not yet a full-fledged state, so the chief minister does not have same powers as enjoyed by his counterparts in other states. Former solicitor general Mohan Parasaran argues that L-G is vested with overriding powers and that he can use his discretion on appointment of officers as long as his decisions are proved “bona fide”.

The upper caste people in Bihar practise and perpetuate the feudal ethos and tenets and also claim to manifest the class aspirations, but in reality their socio economic condition is not better than the backward castes, which have been the victims of the feudal repressions.

BHOPAL: It is interesting to evaluate gains made and losses sustained by Madhya Pradesh during the one year of Narendra Modi regime. First let us count the gains. The state continued to be stable in the political administration term. After spectacular victories in Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, the BJP captured overwhelming number of local bodies. In the local bodies elections held recently, the BJP captured all the 14 corporations of the state.

One year may be a short period in the life of a nation. For a democratic government in a country like India, it means almost a quarter of its life. Government normally avoids hard economic decisions in election year. The performance report card of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government’s first full-year in the centre has been a talking point not only in India but also outside the country for two key reasons.

Is Delhi moving towards a constitutional crisis even as the ugly spat between the chief minister Kejriwal and Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung intensifies? No doubt this is not the first time the differences between the governors and the chief ministers has emerged. During Indira Gandhi’s regime some Governors were called the agents of the Centre when they recommended President’s rule bowing to her wishes. It was after the judiciary stepped in that the arbitrary use of Article 356 was curtailed.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Metro Man E. Sreedharan has, once again, managed to outsmart his opponents who tried their level best to sideline him and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) from the light metro projects in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode in Kerala.