The political future of Maharashtra, the business hub of India, is up in the air and chances are that it will be decided right here in Assam’s Guwahati.
The importance of Assam has grown in the political playfield even as the state faces floods annually, an event underway at the moment in the state. And that can be credited to the ‘Chanakya’ of politics in the northeast.
As rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde along with his tribe of MLAs arrived in Guwahati early today morning, political analysts have been scratching their heads to comprehend the implications.
The fact that Assam has come forward as a destination to decide on the political future of one of the largest states of the country is discussed by Dr. Apurba Kumar Baruah, former dean of North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU).
We have already seen the use of money power in cases like government formations in states like Goa and Manipur. The ugly use of money backed by muscle, including that of the police of a friendly state government, was clearly seen in Madhya Pradesh.
The holding in virtual custody of Maharastra rebel MLAs of the Shiva sena in Gujrat, and then transporting them to a far away BJP ruled state of Assam indicates that the rebel group and its patrons in BJP are afraid that the rebels might change their mind.
Some BJP leaders have already given away the conspiratorial policies by claiming the party will welcome all rebels, though the central leadership pf the party is being more circumspect.
Such attempts threaten democracy because it makes a mockery of ideological principles of politics. The judiciary cannot intervene immediately because the matter of proving numbers is often dependant on a friendly speaker or a pliable governor does.
