The sheer magnitude of devastation that Maharashtra has witnessed due to a non-performing conglomeration of rank opportunists, makes it an imperative for India to have a law to bar pilfering of public mandate in the future.
Consider this:
Side A and Side B were locked in the final of a cricket tournament. Side A won the match with a decent enough contribution from a batsman called Uddhav Thackeray. But in the end, Uddhav was adamant that he be declared the team captain before the prize distribution ceremony. When his demand was not met, Uddhav transferred his half century to Side B and ensured a losing team was declared the winner.
The kind of wretched promiscuity that had gone into the formation of the unnatural Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra has been clearly visible throughout the coronavirus crisis. Not once have the three parties — the Shiv Sena, the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party — acted in unison.
While Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his colleague, former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, have clearly shrugged off the party’s responsibility for the Maharashtra fiasco, NCP leaders such as state home minister Anil Deshmukh have been clueless non-performers, aggravating the crisis manifold. The role of the cunning Sharad Pawar is mired in speculation. He has had long meetings with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, but we don’t know if the meetings were to offer positive inputs or to manipulate the government to extract gains for the NCP.
All said and done and despite CM Thackeray’s belaboured but hollow Facebook lives, the Covid-19 situation in Maharashtra has not improved at all in the past two months. Today, Maharashtra contributes over 36 per cent of the total coronavirus cases in India; it records more than 2,000 new cases on an average every day. Maharashtra’s Covid-19 mortality rate is 3.25 per cent, above the national average of 2.86 per cent. The state has reported unimaginable medical horrors where patients have died waiting for ICU beds.
The onus for this failure clearly lies upon CM Thackeray’s ineptitude and his clumsy notions about the chair he holds, just as it does upon the unnatural alliance wherein governance was never even remotely on the agenda.
Also read: ‘Tears’ to tweets — why Piyush Goyal’s throwing everything he’s got to fight Shramik PR mess
Communication breakdown with alliance partners
What has been CM Thackeray’s schedule during the lockdown? There is barely any evidence of him communicating regularly with fellow ministers or bureaucrats and taking stock of the situation on a regular basis. No wonder then that while the CM announced on his Facebook live on 24 May that Maharashtra was not ready for flight operations yet, by evening, his cabinet colleague, minister Nawab Malik had confirmed 25 flight operations for next day. When Railway Minister Piyush Goyal called out the CM’s bluff on the issue of trains not being provided for migrants, the CM didn’t have a response.
IAS lobby calling the shots
The absence of political leadership through the Covid-19 crisis in Maharashtra is corroborated by none other than Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan. It seems that the state government is unaware of the powers and functions of the second-tier of government and instead wants to put the third-tier — the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) — at the front. This abdication of responsibility on the part of the state government is utterly shocking.
Also read: BJP using Raj Bhavans as den of politics in states where it’s out of power, says Nawab Malik
Confrontationist attitude towards Centre
Every time questions have been raised about the state government’s failures, Uddhav Thackeray has blamed the Narendra Modi government at the Centre for not providing adequate funds to the state. His lie was eventually exposed by former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis with facts and figures, to which the CM or his government had no response.
The fact is that an alarmingly high number of migrant labourers did not get any ration from the state government during the lockdown, due to which most were forced into leaving the state for their native places.
The horrors that Maharashtra has witnessed on account of the state government’s apathy is going to remain etched in public memory for a very long time. What made the situation unpardonably cringeworthy was Rahul Gandhi’s admission that his party is not the decision maker in Maharashtra. In many ways, it was an admission that all the three parties in alliance are solely there to fill up their party coffers for the long years of hibernation that lies ahead of them.
Also read: How Mumbai Raj Bhavan has become centre of political activity amid Maharashtra Covid crisis
The ‘unnatural’ alliance
The devastation that the Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP government has wreaked upon Maharashtra demands that we take a larger view of the situation. A Westminster democracy often makes a mockery of numbers. We have seen it happen in 1996 when H.D. Deve Gowda, who wouldn’t have imagined himself being a national leader ever, overnight became prime minister of a grossly opportunist government, which derailed India’s development agenda. What happened in Maharashtra in 2019 was far worse: stealing a mandate by swapping partners — a misadventure that drove Maharashtra into the tragic mess it finds itself in today.
We, therefore, ideally need a law — “Prevention of Subversion of Public Mandate Act” — to prevent such damage in future. In the absence of the prerequisite majority for a pre-poll alliance for whatsoever reasons, the threshold for government formation should be brought down to winning 40 per cent of the seats.
We have seen the minority government of P.V. Narasimha Rao perform remarkably well in 1991, whereas an unnatural alliance fail in 1996. The Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance is so unnatural that its partners are never sure it exists for real.
The author is a writer and a national media panelist of the BJP. Views are personal.
WHO declared corona virous Pandemic on 12th March but lockdown was declared on 25th March , we must also find the reason for delay giving only 4 hours for this country which has very poor healthcare system in the world.
Anyhow our immune system is strong due to BCG vaccination which may help.
Do your feel even a bit ashamed of connecting the current situation from politics, I mean this is so stupid to blame the chief minister for the current situation in Maharashtra because for the current situation to happen it was not like the chief minister did not arrange the necessary stuff but it’s the people who did not follow and this is totally true as the virus spreads from people to people. It’s not like Shiv Sena and Congress spread the virus then knew that BJP would have given a vaccine for the virus but the chief minister didn’t accept.
Your stand on this is very stupid. You should have spread awareness as you guys are the part of media but you guys are connecting this situation to politics right now which is very shameful.
I am sorry if I offended anyone or any political party or media and the devoted followers.
Nice article. Shiv sena is the worst and least expected party to rule anything. All seats won by SS in 2014 is purely due to Shri. Narendra Modi and in 2019 it’s Mr. Modi and Mr. Devendraji. Shiv Sena don’t deserve any seats, their only points were Hindtutva and alliance with BJP and they lost both points. What they have done in Maharashtra nothing, BMC is the worst handled by SS. People of Maharashtra don’t deserve this alliance. Mr. Devendra Fadanvis is the right guy for Maharashtra.
We hope the law you propose learned writer is equally applicable to cases like Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh where BJP has so to say used referee, third umpire to declare victory of the other side as invalid!! Bigger sin than what happened in the cricket match you mentioned!!
It’s so BJP , by that it means PM Narendra Modi , typical of the BJP PM Mr Modi to transfer their faulty decision and lies to other political parties , this author is a BJP mouth piece , he is not going to highlight the huge errors of his PM , in Jan , Feb and March 20 , Rahul Gandhi had warned everyone about the incoming pandemic but the PM was too busy arresting innocents who protested against the CAA and NRC , the too busy in Delhi elections , then too busy in promoting communal riots in Delhi. , then too busy buying 22 MLA’S of Congress in Madhya Pradesh , then taking a stupid unilateral and authoritarian decision of lockdown by giving just 4 hours to citizens to settle their affairs , knowing that there will be panic among the out of state labourers and unorganised workers , yet completely stopped railways and buses without providing for the welfare of the poor labourers and unorganised workers , in Cosmopolitan city like Mumbai , labourers and unorganised workers live in single rooms shared by 10 or more people and most congested place being Dharavi , that being said the PM insensibly exported PPE kits and Ventilators from the country right upto 23rd March , and realising the folly of such decisions , the PM backtracked and held someone responsible except him , the Govt., didn’t make necessary arrangements for the poor labourers and unorganised workers in money , food and water with adequate shelter , and another stupid mistake was to open transportation after 40 day lockdown , so many poor migrants lost their lives on rail tracks and highways , it made no difference to the PM , he till date does not acknowledge the poor migrants as citizens of India , economy has gone down the drain , the 20 lakh Corores package is just a illusion created to cover up huge errors of decision by the PM , tell this author take a hike pal , stop licking upto Political Party.
Yeah, it is perfectly alright to blame Modi even if your dog dies of old age! Hypocrites and slaves of the Italian Mafiosi!
You also tried to steal power with the help of most corrupt as per your leaders i.e. Ajit Pawar but you failed miserably. Please read Gujrat H.C. judgement and strictures and affidavit filed by your government. Why you did not enforce lickdown in the month of February and wasted one full month. Who allowed Tablighi Jamat in Delhi your own H.M. Coronavirus has nothing to with who is in the chair. Maharashtra maximum testing maximum patient in U.P. Bihar Gujrat minimum testing minimum patient.
Thanks Mr Tuhin Sinha for depicting the recent Maha administration picture of the Juvenile CM under the unholy nexus of SS-Cong-NCP combine so aptly.
In certain matters, there appears to have some similarity between Waste Bengal CM and Maha CM in administering though WB CM has an edge in Ministerial experience over Udhav and She comes up with all kind of lame excuses foolishly.
The author is definitely not from maharashtra and has been probably paid for this write up and also to beat the summer heat his family might have been offer choco bar (ice-cream) for the paid publicity
The print your opinions are quite revealing of your true agenda, keep it up !
lame artical. Majority of people in Maharashtra is happy with how the govt is handling the situation. Better than what fasavnis would have handled..so keep your bull**** to yourself ..
I don’t think so. Have been a resident of Pune all my life and one thing is for sure, that the majority is tired of the oneupmanship being done by the 3 parties in the government. An analogy would be that of a two headed snake with each wanting to go in a different direction. Just today in the Times Of India’s front page, the headline read that the CM would like to continue with the lockdown for another 2 weeks and in a leaf inside the same paper Minister Avhad said that the lockdown must go and it has been disastrous. Another example is Nawab Malik vs CM.
I request Tuhin Ji to write about the grim situation of GUJARAT too. People are kept on fake ventilators in Gujarat.
uddha made shiv sena a shav sena …! marathis n marathas will NOT forgive thakre as this will be end of his political carreer ….. he has sacrificed a state for shi selfish personal politicis
So you want that Maha goes the way of Gujrat – ventilator scam and dumped bodies, or UP – living accident survivors and dead-bodies packed together in an open truck, or MP where the entire health ministry was infected and chaos is so profound that one does not know the real numbers? which one?
It should make a clear constitutional amendment that if no party have clear mandate the Governor of state would hold a chief minister job and would allow the function of assembly and whatever resolution passed with majority would be implemented.In such case voting should not be on party line but as per the self conscience of the member of legislative assembly.This solution would be better and serve the purpose of election and functioning of state would go on without suffering as there is elected MLA in decision making and Governor and state staff is enough to implement.
Well Tuhin you can expect a Rajya Sabha ticket from BJP now!!
Well if your preoccupied pro BJP mind can see little further you will find many reasons. Mumbai is the first big metro town of the country.. why corona in Mumbai?
1. International airport with high travel to China, Middle east, Europe and USA (All initial Covid hostspots).
2. Slums and chawls.. clumsy housing system (mumbai is a small island)
3. High density, Overly crowded public transport systems and poor sanitation (migration in last 50 years)
Its not always about political party inefficiencies… if that was the case then Gujarat would not have had highest death rate in country (sorry if i offended you with anti-bjp stance). Maharashtra and Mumbai has given much to India… Its time for payback now … same applies to London, New York…. Economic powerhouses towns are being hit hard across the world…. i dont see a different response to Covid if there would have been a BJP CM…ultimately its the Govt machinery which runs the state not a mere CM…. If thats the case i request you to write an article about – Zero PPE kits given by Modi to Maharashtra, High in efficient ICMR under Modiji in testing (Wuhan re-tested 9 million in 10 days), Hindi Electronic Media promoting religious riots post Lockdown, Workers with babies walking hundreds of miles in summer thanks to Modiji (Modi never ever said to feed poor in his address)
You sure are a looser in life.When it is combination of Udhav and Pappu Rahul who misguided the Marathi people don’t the center.Either you are very young and in-experience you don’t see any wrong doing of this clowns.Shiv Sena, NCP & Congress will not return to power because you can’t people og Maharashtra all the time.So go suck an egg.
So true Rohan. Tuhin seems to be bidding for a BJP ticket.
Very bad time for all. We cant blame anyone and every CM try their state at the max possible level.
Center also pushing.
New CM surrounded by political pioneers if they are not helping who else can? I mean NCP and Cong.
Good CM but he is with bad friends and they make sure that credit should not go to Sivsena.
No other go now. Learn the politics and join back to old friends for the best future.
Maharashtra mein mandate kisne steal kiya, aur Goa / Karnataka / Madhya Pradesh mein kisne, yeh toh kehna kathin hai.
The political orientation of the author is apparent so the ideological bent of his arguments is clear. A few broad questions:
1- Why is the mortality rate in Gujarat so high?
2- Was it the part of game for BJP to poach 4-time LS MP Suresh Prabhu from its alliance partner Shiv Sena(SS) in 2014?
3- Was it part of game for BJP to allocate only 1 ministerial post to SS which had 18 LS members and was its oldest partner? Proportionally speaking, SS deserved 2 cabinet minister posts and 1 MoS post.
4- Was it part of game for BJP to change the ratio of contested seats in Assembly elections as compared to Lok Sabha elections?
5- Was it part of game for BJP to align with the person they had publicly declared as corrupt?
We do not know whether a 50-50 sharing deal was agreed by Amit Shah and Uddhav Thackeray or not. But what we do know is that SS was the party that suffered maximum loss of vote share in 2019 Assembly elections, as compared to 2014 Assembly elections, in both absolute and percentage terms. So either their selective opposition or their selective support to BJP did not work. They had to either oppose BJP completely or support BJP completely. Given BJP’s track record in betraying them over the last 5 years, the choice of going from selective opposition to complete opposition was more rational than going from selective support to complete support.
You need to preface the article with this ‘ The author is a writer and a national media panelist of the BJP’
And not have it at the end as the whole article is biased. The reader should have the information before going through and absorbing the information.
That means even Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa are paying price for the same game played by BJP in toppling congress governments over there. It would be better for such self proclaimed analysts bakhts of BJP/RSS to do only propaganda and chaplusi work for their IT cell and for the job they are paid for. They are not qualified for such Political analysis. They can only carry fake stories and jumlas and sell as news to media to please their masters in the government.
whoever this person is knows nothing about Maharashtra at all . The numbers were ought to increase as social distancing is joke mainly in mumbai ( mumbai has the biggest slum -Dharavi). Had it been Devendra Fadanvis or the matter of fact any one else , things would not have been different . People of Maharashtra are happy the way this current government is functioning under Uddhav Thackerey . The opposition under the leadership of Mr. Fadanvis came under fire when he launched protest against the current government as it was an unethical move seeing he grave problem of covid 19 the state is facing . He was ought to be standing with government instead he is politicising the situation . The credibility of BJP in Maharashtra is all time low right now . This can be seen if you ask any common man from the state right now .As far as Congress is concerned it is getting anxious as the face of the government is shivsena and NCP and it is playing the third wheel . But believe me most of the MLA’a of congress are glad because of the fact that they are sitting with government .This is exactly why Rahul Gandhi gave that statement
If BJP were in power in Maharastra by buying NCP MLA’s via open auction (hoax mandate using black money), then Covid problem would have gone from Maharastra to Pakistan ! What a joke country has to undergo. Educated middle class are now semi-illitrates who blindly belive authoratrain regime.
Wonder why Gujarat is also paying a price?
You should declare you will not make an alliance again with SS since they have betrayed you. Talk about opportunism ha ha
Does the same reason ‘stolen mandate’ apply to MP also?
This is what happens to the nation when Pappu, Italian Mummy and Sister with the long nose treat the country like personal property.
India has had enough. Throw them out.
I agree with you
Comment blame upon central government is a very silly and very childish for such a higher post and wasting precious time any-how and the having an unexpected covid-19 crisis.
Shiv Sena and b j pee had a power sharing agreement, including rotation of CM post. Fadnavis wanted to be CM for the full 5 year term and got the boot after 72 hours. Greed for power cost b j pee. Why blame Congress ?
Congress, NCP and SS are jointly killing Maharashtra people,by their ineptidude, unholy alliance. Many more are going to die according to Rahul ,who wants to escape the blame. Great leaders.God save the people.
The author has a weird analysis and interpretations of actions of MVA. What is the responsibility of ICMR and Central government in monitoring health related actions of maharashtra CMO and health minister? Who would these authors blame for COVID19 spread in New York, Italy, Spain, UK? the virus ? Which government was better prepared and working with resource challenges like MVA in Maharashtra
In my opinion Congress made a great mistake by supporting this unholy alliance of ShivaSena and NCP. Whatever we say in our democratic set up without Congress no alternative to BJP can take shape. Congress will have to face criticism about this unholy alliance at least for next ten to twenty years. Congress can never defend this decision in near future.
What has JDU and BJP done in Bihar? Ram Rajya. I Guess. Tuhin Sinha author member of BJP mus not use Print as medium for Propoganda politics.
@ Rajan, SS and NCP are family-run too, in case you missed it.
@ Tuhin Sinha, it seems you are just pissed off at the fact that BJP couldn’t form govt. You didn’t have any opinion when Motabhai was demolishing non-BJP state govts left and right.
So who’s lusting for power here?
As for COvid-19 management, no one did it any better. Plus, Mumbai is unique in terms of population density, migrant population, and a whole host of other factors. Similarly, using bureaucracy instead of cabinet ministers is directly from PM’s playbook (demonetization and lockdown 1.0). Plus, BMC has access to every slum, every tenement and every member of that tenement.
You haven’t proposed any solutions because no one has any other than wearing black and being on the balcony. I wonder, if you think PM’s solutions of taali/thaali and diya will work in Mumbai.
The present government in Maharashtra is a like a three robbers who had a fight after looting the bank. Basically all these three parties in maha vikas aghaadi are nothing but dynasties which are making efforts to perpetuate the political relevance of their respective heirs however undeserving they may be at immense cost to the well-being of the citizens of this state. Shame on this opportunistic alliance.
Retire all politicians – at the Centre and the States. Even in times of crisis, they are spewing out criticism, sarcasm and belittling each other. None knows and none has any concrete plan. Leave the matters to the professionals and administrators.
By applying the said criterian to BJP rule since 2014, why to shy accepting that people of India are paying the heavy price of chosing wrong party for implementing unplanned policies in Delhi, be it demonitization. GST, CAA. Spliting J&K and now lockdown on 25th March which has proved hatmful both to the people and evonomy.
Can you stop publishing pieces from party spokespeople? Thanks.
agree
BJP is power hungry & hence the hue & cry.
U R a FOOL and can’t see how many Marathi are dieing everyday.
It is evident that the alliance partners, NCP & Congress want to enjoy the benefits of sharing power in the state but don’t want to share the blame for the deteriorating Covid scenario in Maharashtra. The situation as on 8A.M. today is as under (Maharashtra numbers in brackets):
(1) Confirmed Cases : 165799 (59546)
(2) Cured Cases : 71106 (18616)
(3) Deaths: 4706 (1982)
(4) Active Cases : 89987 (38948)
(5) Recovery Ratio : 42.9% ( 31%)
(6) Fatality Ratio : 2.84%. ( 3.3%)
Maharashtra’s share in total (cumulative) confirmed cases is @ 36% , in active cases @ 43% and in deaths @ 42% . The scenario is bad to say the least. Only silver lining is that in the week ended 28-05-2020, the growth rates are down, but still higher than the national average. What is peculiar is that growth rate in confirmed cases for Mumbai is lower than that of rest of Maharashtra, which means that Corona is spreading faster in rural Maharashtra. This is a warning signal. Now, is the present dispensation in Maharashtra capable of handling the situation? This is a political question. Nobody knows the answer. Incidentally, the BJP government is perceived to have failed miserably in handling the flood situation in Western Maharashtra in 2019. So, the question should not be ‘ who is better’ , but ‘ who is worse’.
What’s the point of letting this ridiculous one sided biased opinion of a BJP spokesperson be read by your readers ?
COVID does not differentiate between politicians and left/ right. The situation in Maharashtra
Especislly Mumbai is because of the demographic nature of the state.
Let’s not use to play the unnecessary political card.
I think it is also time to consider that if Mumbai had been a state , we would not have been in this mess.
If Delhi can be a state , why not mumbai.
Mumbai has been neglected by the Maharashtra politician for the last 60 years. They have exploited the potential of mumbai and not doing any thing for Mumbai.
The Infrastructure including health have all deteriorated. The cities population must have doubled in the last 50 years, which new public hospital has been created. the same could be said about a lot of things
Beside the flyovers nothing new has been done in the city after 1970
I think we need to also look at the city with a population of 20 million which does not get what it deserves.
Would love For Shekhar Gupta to start pressing this as a campaign
Please explain your rendezvous with NCP. I think you must realise the mandate was for BJP AND SHIVSENA to share power equally. And not for BJP N NCP or SHIVSENA NCP AND CONGRESS. BJP N SHIVSENA should come together and STUPID STATEMENTS FROM BOTH SIDES SHOULD STOP
The description of the writer says it all.
If Mumbai is paying the price of what you describe, then why is Ahmedabad in such a bad shape ?
Tablighi’s came to Ahemdabad and spread Covid19
You better ask public opinion amongst all sections of citizens, all religions…. You will find your writing is hopelessly lacking ground reality.. The IAS officers initially created mess were the same who were chummy to BJP and had not delivered foe public even then… Now they were kicked out by Uddhav himself bypassing Chief Secretary of Maharashtra.. Don’t try to take feed from political opponents and Swami
hahahaha…… hahaha…haha..thanks for making me laugh during corona times. Jo hamaam mein nange hon, wo izzatdaaron per keechad nahin uchhalte..
I totally agree with the author. All three partners do not know where they are standing. Each one is planning for the next elections. Meanwhile, Uddhav will see to it that Maharastra goes to disaster. Such a poor administrator. He dumped the legacy of Bala saheb in the ocean . Governance is a serious issue and you require people like Modi who can sacrifice their personal comfort for it even then it is not enough. People like Thakre and all these corrupt politicians must be shunted out now.
Maharashtra is in a mess because it is not ruled by BJP. Then which opposition party is ruling Gujarat?
“You ditched BJP unjustly. Therefore, Maharashtra is paying the price through corona virus suffering.” This sounds like Mahatma Gandhi’s admonition to Bihar when in 1924, an earth quake struck killing tens of thousands of people besides destruction of property. Gandhi who was in Kerala at that time said that this was the divine punishment for practice of untouchability!
Now from where this new mud slinging on MG …
how can someone believe MG assumed earthquake killed only upper caste ???
Actually, in sheer political terms, the situation in Maharashtra is very simple. Pawar’s NCP and Udhav’s SS have a LOT at stake in keeping this totally ‘out of character’ alliance going. They are FULLY and painfully aware that if they cannot reinforce this chance that fell into their palms by completing their full five year term, even stumbling and doddering all the way, they will never rule Maharashtra again. They are desperate that they are ready to wink at and swallow the Congress hypocrisies with a “Grin and bear it” attitude..
NOT SO, the Congress. They are ruling in some states. They are only the ‘THIRD’ leg of this Three Legged Race. Their place in Indian politics today will not suffer the least bit even if Maharashtra falls to the BJP.. Only the local Congress big wigs will be ruffled as they may lose ministries etc. The party High Command at Delhi (read: “The Family”, which is ALL that matters in Congress) could not care less if Maharashtra is lost.
This is exactly why Rahul, Udhav and Pawar are behaving in the manner they are, now.
This is a good analysis.
But if Rahul had true leadership qualities, he should have stepped in and bang some heads, and get it going. The true measure of leadership ist to step up in time of crisis, not sniping from the sides
Leadership quality?
They guy is not fit to be a chaprasi.
What do you say for the “family” in hindi … the parivar. what’s so noble about bjp when it is rced by parivar
there is this brain wash that sarsanghchalak has good heart and mind whereas the The Family even with an impeccable track record has become evil minded in the opinion of middle class who have been voting en masse.