The serious flaw in the BJP
The BJP has lost significant support from key sections of voters who had played an important role in propelling the party to power in the 2014 general election. Voters in rural areas, farmers, Dalits, tribals, first-time voters and unemployed have voted for the Congress much more than they have for the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, as well as in Chhattisgarh, indicating the slew of policies. Losses in these rural and urban parts indicate a serious flaw in how the BJP positioned itself politically. To me, it is a clear sign that the urban middle class, farmers, and traders have abandoned their traditional political romance with the BJP.
– Najmul Jaunpuri
A right move by appointing Shaktikanta Das
The resignation of Mr Urjit Patel as the RBI Governor comes as an unexpected move ahead of the proposed Board meeting. As the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet was quick to nominate former Economic Affairs Secretary Mr. Shaktikantha Das as the new Governor, the void has been rightly filled at an appropriate time. It is appreciable on the Committee’s part to quickly identify and appoint an incumbent with the IAS background and who also comes with a strong bureaucratic track record.
With the short timed exit of former Governor owing to differences between RBI and Ministry of Finance, there is not much time left to debate his departure owing to the upcoming final budget session before the term of the current NDA government comes to an end due to the crucial Lok Sabha polls in 2019. Of late, the post of RBI Governors being occupied by the economists and other experts, have been vocal about RBI’s policies and as also have outspokenly expressed the same with the media. The appointment of the new RBI Governor, now popularly known as an ‘inside man’ due to his vast experience at Government of India, will now certainly help reduce the decibel levels within the Boardroom and also help to strike balance between the Government and RBI.
As such there is not much time left either for the current NDA government, which is yet to bite the dust from the sudden exit from five assembly state polls and thus, needs to act fast to wrap up its complete term. Hence, with the appointment of the former IAS officer as a right incumbent, RBI should now not waste much time and implement necessary policies by duly consulting the Ministry of Finance. With this recent move to appoint a new RBI Governor, one hopes not to witness any more shadow boxing between the Mint Street and North Block.
– Varun Dambal
People want to get rid of BJP
The recent assembly poll trends in five states clearly showed that the people want to get rid of an autocratic BJP government at the Centre in 2019. The debts and discussions are going on all over the country on the same topic and political pundits have started to predict about the upcoming general election in the light of their experiences. But is a reality that the BJP is in desperate need of an appropriate agenda for 2019 elections, now that its main agenda of Hindutva has been exposed. However, the general elections will be a very interesting political drama as every political party will bend backwards to be victorious in India. Let’s hope for the best.
– MF Qasmi
Greeting to Shaktikanta Das
Shaktikanta Das is a face for all seasons and government has got its act right to fill the vacuum left after Urjit Patel’s exit as RBI governor with this stalwart. Master strategist of demonetization and GST, Shaktikanta Das is as capable as any other RBI governor we have had in the past but his role is now even more critical when the ruling government has suffered a political debacle which leaves very little room for experimentation and error. All his moves will also be watched by a scanner by deputy governor Viral Acharya who red-flagged government’s populist measures at RBI.
Shaktikanta is a government appointee but he should take decisions in the interest of economy and not populist ones to win votes for the government. Taxpayers’ money is at stake to build the nation, which should be utilised for the right purpose and I am sure the man in the hot-spot would do just that as he is a professional whose own reputation would be at stake and watched by the globe. Wishing Shaktikanta Das good luck and hope he has a memorable tenure that goes the distance and not like his predecessor that ended abruptly!
– SN Kabra
(The views expressed by the authors in the article are his/her own.)
