Poll pollution to rise on Delhi roads

While the temperatures are taking a dip, political heat seems to be on the rise at rapid pace. On one hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating the world’s tallest statue of Sardar Vallabhai Patel has set the tone for 2019 elections and took jibes at his critics including AICC president Rahul Gandhi saying, “Imagine for a moment that if Sardar Patel had not worked towards uniting the nation, Indians would have to get a visa to see the Gir lions and tigers...and shiv bhakts would need a visa to do puja at the Somnath temple...people would also need a visa to see the Charminar in Hyderabad,” said the Prime Minister.

Apart from explaining how it would change the economy of the area, Modi dwelt at length over the achievements of his government and said his policy of ‘Sab Ka Saath Sab ka Vikas’ would continue. The statue, he said, also represents the governments motto ‘Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat (One India, Best India)’,”
It is a different issue that farmers of the Western State do not fully agree with him. They continue to struggle to find water for irrigation. The gravity of the situation can be gauged from the fact the headman of 22 villages, in an open letter to Modi, said the government was destroying forests, rivers, waterfalls, land and agriculture. That is an issue which the Gujarat government will have to tackle.

But as far as the national level politics are concerned, it now appears that all parties are gearing up for a perfect showdown with the BJP. Though it was thought that a sort of front would come up before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the way feathers have been ruffled between Andhra Pradesh and the Centre, the activity to unite all anti BJP parties seems to be picking up speed.

The efforts made by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu a couple of days ago seem to have raked up interest among some of the important leaders to explore the possibility to come under one umbrella since the common enemy is the BJP. Knowing fully well that the TDP came into existence to fight the Congress, Naidu has taken a crucial and calculated decision to meet Rahul Gandhi on Thursday and mobilise all the anti BJP parties with the slogan ‘Save the Nation.’

The success TDP had achieved in seat sharing with the TPCC in Telangana and the assurances being given by Rahul that the Congress would grant Special Status Category and implement the AP State Re-Organisation act 2014 in toto and the political compulsions back in Andhra Pradesh where the BJP is reportedly firing its guns over the shoulders of YSRCP and Pawan Kalyan seem to have pushed Naidu to see that the Opposition unites ahead of elections to the five States.

It now appears that the Congress will play the role of big brother guided by the ‘senior most’ brother Naidu and other parties including Samajwadi Party led by Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party, Loktantrik Janata Dal led by Sharad Yadav, National Congress Party of Sharad Pawar and Farooq Abdullah who are among those who are showing interest in being part of the anti BJP front. The possibility of Mamata Banerjee too joining them later cannot be ruled out. The Opposition leaders feel that ‘Sab ka Saath, Sab ka Vikas,’ and ‘Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat,’ have remained as mere catchy slogans.

While Patel believed in uniting the country, Modi was resorting to divide and rule, is the line these leaders are going to take during the election campaign 2019. The coming days are going to witness extreme political heat, moves, counter moves, allegations and counter allegations between the opposition and BJP and poll pollution will be much more than the pollution levels on Delhi roads.