Front Page
The common lead across the front pages of mainstream newspapers Thursday is, unsurprisingly, Maharashtra. After finally staking claim to form government, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (Congress-NCP-Shiv Sena alliance) decided that the state’s deputy CM would be from NCP while the Speaker will be from Congress.
The other common stories of the day are Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman saying in the Rajya Sabha that even though economic growth had slowed, the economy is not in recession.
Maharashtra: The Times of India notes that the Congress had to give up its claim to a second deputy CM to acquire the Speaker’s position. Hindustan Times highlights that the decision was made after a “six-hour meeting of the three parties”. The Hindu focuses on the return of the prodigal son — “Two days after the failed rebellion to join hands with the BJP… NCP leader Ajit Pawat returned”. The Indian Express reports that with Pawar’s return, many within the party want him to be named as deputy CM.
To drive home the fact that Pawar has in fact returned to the family, the photograph of him hugging NCP leader and his cousin Supriya Sule is carried by most mainstream newspapers today.
No recession, says Sitharaman: Hindu quotes Sitharaman as saying, “The government was aware of the situation and had taken sector-specific decisions”. Express writes that she compared “macroeconomic data — GDP growth, inflation exchange reserves and demand side indicators” under UPA-II and the previous NDA government and said that during PM Modi’s first term “growth was higher… while inflation was far lower”.
Special Protection Group Act: According to Hindu, the Special Protection Group (SPG) security cover will now be provided only to the Prime Minister and members of his immediate family residing with him. “The passage of the bill to amend the SPG Act was marked by sharp political exchanges in Lok Sabha with home minister Amit Shah accusing Congress of being bothered about its first family’s status than an objective security assessment,” reports TOI.
Pragya Thakur on Godse: BJP MP Pragya Thakur is mired in yet another controversy after she, yet again, referred to Nathuram Godse, Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin, in the Lok Sabha, writes Express. HT weighs in with the headline “Outrage at Pragya’s Godse remark in LS”. Detailing out the “storm” Thakur created in the Lok Sabha with her remarks, HT writes that Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla had to expunge her remarks from the House records as BJP MPs “quickly asked Thakur to sit down”.
Others: “Our party made political blunders, thinking of taking up Sena offer: BJP’s Khadse,” reports Express, emphasising OBC leader and senior BJP member Eknath Khadse’s regret and embarrassment as he is “seriously considering” quitting the BJP after the party’s “political blunders” in Maharashtra.
Hindu highlights Cartosat-3 and 13 other nano satellites were successfully launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The satellite is a “high-resolution imaging satellite that will help large-scale urban planning, infrastructural development and coastal land use”, the report adds.
In an exclusive, Express reports “In 2017, DEA Secy wrote: Why were electoral bond details shared with RBI?” citing secretary (economic affairs) Subash Garg. Express weighs in on Garg’s words along with documents shared by RTI activist Anjali Bharadwaj, including confidential letter by officials in the Department of Economic Affairs to the RBI deputy governor, and points out that they are a “clear indication that the government did not want to involve the RBI in the formulation of the draft notification of electoral bonds”.
Opinion
The Times of India: In “Coalition Experiment”, TOI writes that the standard criticism against coalitions is that they form a “khichdi government” that is “unable to rule due to frequent dissensions among themselves”, but even the BJP’s strong “centralised model” also imposes “certain limitations on governance”. The paper notes that a strong government “could build in a certain inflexibility as there is limited scope for consultation”, which in turn affects the “quality of governance”. TOI further argues that Indian states “have the size and complexity of a normal country” and “coalition governments suit the genius of a country better”.
The Hindu: In “Caught in the Act”, Hindu refers to the Trasgender Persons Bill that was passed in Rajya Sabha Tuesday and writes that “it is inconceivable” that any effort to make the fortunes of a particular group better “should be completely impervious” to the appeals of the “intended beneficiaries”. The paper notes that the bill has “disappointed the community”. It is “progressive” as it allows self perception of gender identity but “regresses by mandating that each person will be recogonised as ‘transgender’ on the basis of a certificate of identity issued by a district magistrate”, writes Hindu. It argues that many activists have slammed the bill for its “narrow understanding of gender identities and for offering woefully inadequate mainstream opportunities”.
Prime Time
News channels news still had little space for any subject besides Maharashtra Wednesday.
CNN News18‘s Marya Shakil asked, “Will BJP sack Pragya Thakur?” after her remark on Nathuram Godse had to be expunged in Parliament.
Zee News objected to Sunni Waqf board’s lawyer Rajeev Dhawan’s statement on injustice in Ayodhya.
Times Now stuck to Maharashtra with anchor Navika Kumar asking, “Another ‘dhokha’ in store after the #PawarDoubleCross?” She was referring to NCP leader Ajit Pawar as a Trojan horse.
On India Today, anchor Rajdeep Sardesai wondered if it was “fair to say that Modi, Shah no longer look invincible?” Aaj Tak asked the same question.
NDTV 24×7: Sreenivasan Jain was preoccupied with Maharashtra on “Photo-op over, power games begin?”
“There are so many questions… we don’t even know what is happening with Ajit Pawar. There appears to be a ghar wapsi…” said Jain.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said, “I don’t like the term power sharing, I would call it sharing of responsibilities. We are not like the other side that believes in getting power at whatever expense.”
NCP spokesperson Sameer Dalwai added, “Deciding portfolios is not something which can be done on a (TV) channel, we need the best man for the job… if that takes not one but two days then so be it.”
Republic TV: In place of the customary debate, the channel replayed anchor Arnab Goswami’s interview with Home Minister Amit Shah held during the day at the Republic Summit in New Delhi.
The Home Minister spoke on a range of issues, including the Ayodhya verdict, scrapping of Article 370, National Register of Citizens, uniform civil code and Maharashtra politics.
“I want to clarify, my aggression isn’t against any person or party, it’s against being disorganised and unprepared on security threats,” said Shah.
Asked about the scrapping of Article 370, Shah said, “To ensure the security of Jammu & Kashmir, if one cannot make laws, then Mr. Arnab Goswami even you would be angry…”
On NRC, Shah said, “NRC will be made for the whole country — this is our party’s stand.”
Aaj Tak: Rohit Sardana stated that in December 2017, 71 per cent of India was ruled by BJP — that is now reduced to 40 per cent. “Has BJP’s magic faded,” he asked.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra refuted this: “This time in Maharashtra, our strike rate has been the maximum… we were nowhere in picture in Haryana but after winning (the most seats), we made a comeback again,” he said.
Political analyst Ashutosh said the BJP should “graciously” accept that the decrease in its influence is due to its “political mismanagement”. “North India used to be BJP’s safe zone but now six major states are being ruled by non-BJP parties,” he added.
NCP’s Samir Hassan Dalwai argued that “BJP doesn’t respect the federal structure of government — it believes only in one country- one leader and one voice.”
ABP News: “Will Maharashtra pave way for a strong opposition and will Sharad Pawar become a leading opposition voice in national politics?” asked anchor Rubika Liyaquat.
BJP’s Shahnawaz Hussain dismissed the presumption: “There is no challenge to Modi ji… these are state elections and Modi ji is still very popular on the national front,” he insisted.
NCP leader Suresh Mane said that the BJP’s time is over. “BJP and Narendra Modi used to be invincible, but as all things come to an end, BJP’s innings is also finishing,” he claimed.
Why no action against anti national & foreign agents like SHEKHAR GUPTA ,N.RAM persons who spread RAFALE LIES on dictations by CHINA & PAK,s ISI ??
You are absolutely right. Unprincipled crooks have come together and they will extort common people who had voted for BJP+ Shivsena rule. Corruption will increase massively now that Shivsena is free from any kind of control or guidance from the BJP.
“Partners in crime always fall apart one day”.
MAHARASHTRA MANDATE….WAS FOR BJP N ALLIES…….NOT FOR SHIVSENA ALLIES………. THIS IS THE REAL SITUATION….. UNFORTUNATELY ALL CRIMINALS TOGETHER HAVE FORMED A GOVT……..rest is to follow….. tough time for Maharashtra.