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(Amidst acrimony and patch up efforts, the unprecedented impasse in
Uttar Pradesh continues. Should Governor Romesh Bhandari step down
or be dismissed or retained? Three experts discuss)
Governance is never done by .press interviews. Home minister's
statement on February 24 indicating that UP was moving towards
anarchy, chaos and destruction is a clear indicator that the
governor is being censured.
The governor, chief secretary and the DGP contesting the home
minister's statement only shows the United Front government in very
poor light.
The issue of anarchy is very real but it would be very simplistic
to blame and sack the governor for what mandalisation of the state
has caused. The divided election results, and the ego clash
between the Samajwadi Party and the BSP and the political isolation
of the BJP makes governance impossible.
Should the governor be sacked? The reality is that we are not
talking of morals and propriety we are talking of political
divisions.
Romesh Bhandari is a political appointee and like other decisions
of the 13- member United Front, this was not a consensus decision.
The governor has tilted towards the Samajwadi Party on transfers
and promotions and draws his authority from Mulayam Singh Yadav.
The BJP, BSP and the Congress are naturally at war. Prime Minister
H D Deve Gowda cannot upset Mulayam Singh and the CPI(M) cannot be
seen supporting the BJP. The governor will possibly be transfered
till another Mulayam Singh appointee is found. The anarchy, chaos
and criminality will continue unless elections take place.
The current disposition of MLAs divided between the BJP, BSP,
Congress and the Samajwadi Party and the recent election results in
Punjab may make possible a BJP-BSP government if Mayawati relents.
The last elections had shown the BJP - slipping Mulayam Singh
advancing, the BSP and the Congress static. The situation currently
shows the BJP on an upward swing and even the Samajwadi Party may
improve further at the expense of the BSP-Congress combine.
This fear and reality may result in a BJP-BSP government in the
interim. The BSP is no longer in the driving seat but it may not
accept this.
The ground reality is that chaos reigns and the division on Mandal
and caste grounds may not hold any longer.
The voting public is supreme and the fractured caste verdict has
shown that absence of stability results in mafia control
kidnapping, murder and bus-train dacoity, and the fact that the CBI
probes on the Ayurvedic seam are being stalled, all go against the
governor.
The governor is also incurring public censure for the very
extravagant life style not expected at state expense. Like in the
Centre, Uttar Pradesh needs a fresh electoral verdict numbers and
political authority are closely interlinked.
A responsible Central government and a responsible governor must
recommend a fresh electoral mandate.
The state is under the rule of caste and criminal mafias and the
secular-nonsecular argument. And the need to keep the BJP out at
any cost is becoming a very expensive exercise.
The other solution can be stability at the Centre if the Congress
decides to join the UF coalition. This is the sensible thing to do
in the current situation.
The Congress Party has changed. There is no supreme leader.
Sitaram Kesri has no power to withdraw support to the UF. Sharad
Pawar is gaining but needs power sharing and a collective team.
Stability of the United Front will result in a changed situation in
Uttar Pradesh for the better, and Deve Gowda will continue as the
prime minister.
Arun Nehru
Political commentator
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