Fissures in Centre State relations lead to the state electorates suffer

Whenever there are fissures, confrontation, breach of trust and differences between the centre state relations, the harmful effects or the consequences are faced by the electorates of the state. And this is what is happening in the context of the confrontation between the Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejrval, his Aap party government and the centrally ruled BJP led NDA. Since the day Aam Aadmi Party government led by Kejrival assumed power in Delhi after defeating the Congress and BJP, since then the relations between BJP and AAP have been badly  at loggerheads.

The previous Lt governor of Delhi, an academician of repute, appointed on the recommendation of the then Congress CM Shiela Dikshit,  Professor Nazeeb Jung continued in office after the Congress’s route in Delhi and the BJP forming its government at the centre, three and a half year’s ago,  and shifted his loyalties by becoming the blue eyed boy of the prime minister following his each and every dictates. Arvind Kejrival then allegedly dubbed him as prime minister Modi’s  strongest sympathiser and had constant confrontations with, him finally compelling Jung resigning voluntarily to go back to his academics.

A day had not passed in the last 3.5 years when both the central govt and Arvind Kejrival had not been at loggerheads on various issues like water, electricity, corruption, appointments and regularisation of services of Delhi government employees. Kejrival had been usually targetting the central BJP government and at times even PM Modi for not allowing the state gvernment function independently and creating bottlenecks of their ways. Similarly the BJP central leaders and Congress Party have been targetting AAP and its lawmakers of encouraging corruption and nepotism with Delhi completely devoid of development during the last three year rule of Arvind Kejrival.

The ruling party AAP’s achievements on the water, electricity, education and health sectors have bothered and disturbed the BJP to a great extent and is apprehensive that may be in the next election, this time as well, it may again loose at the hands of AAP due to KEJRIVAL’S increasing popularity amongst the lower middle class and poor sections of the society including the minorities. The AAP on the other hand accuses the BJP leadership in the government of deliberately creating hiccups and botlenecks in the functioning of the Delhi government in order to defame and depopularise it in the eyes of the Delhi electorates.

It views the recent decision of the government to arbitrarily hike the Delhi metro fares without the Delhi government’s consent and request for postponement of the massive hike such an ulterior attempt to defame it in the eyes of the Delhi electorates. The Delhi CM Kejrival has argued that when his government is opposing this exorbitant fare hike and is prepared to contribute fifty percent of the supposed losses to the tune of 1500 crores annually, then why can’t the central government part half of the amount and defer or revoke its anti people orders of Metro fare hike. The Congress leader and president DPCC Ajay Maken said that the total annual generation of funds from the recent hikes come to around 800 crores which even comes to just half of Rs 1500 crores being paid by the DELHI government. Then what’s the need of Delhi metro fare hike and putting over thirty lakh commuters in financial mess and quandary.

SUNIL NEGI