Issues that loom over in Maharashtra

The surge in food prices, farmers’ suicides in Vidarbha, anti-North Indian tirade and water-logging are going to be some key issues in Maharashtra.

Biplob Ghosal

Politics rarely changes, but time always does. This must be bothering Congress as Assembly elections approach in Maharashtra. The surge in food prices, farmers’ suicides in Vidarbha, anti-North Indian tirade and water-logging are going to be some key issues that will decide the poll prospects of the ruling alliance. Although the Congress-NCP alliance successfully faced general elections after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, massive job losses and abysmal governance over the years are not exactly the best platforms to reach out to the voters in the state. As Maharashtra goes to the hustings on October 13, the ruling alliance faces local issues besides confronting national ones to retain power in the state. Price rise Among other vexing problems, price rise, which affects the lives of every one regardless of their political leanings, is going to be one of the key issues. The soaring prices of various commodities, especially of food items, have affected the aam aadmi in rural as well as in urban areas, thereby adding to the woes of the Congress-NCP alliance. Inadequate sugarcane production, which led to rise in sugar prices, is also going to play a major role as the parties try to placate people with promises of lower sugar prices. Besides this, drought that led to the increase in food prices and exposed the laxity of the government is the talking point in these polls. Suicides in Vidarbha Vidarbha remains a grim reminder of the state of affairs as far as farmers are concerned. Many have ended their lives due to mounting debts and crop failure. Although the state and the UPA governments had announced two relief packages of Rs 4,800 crore, the suicides continued and another package of Rs 6,205 crore was announced last December. However, all this has failed to check the crisis effectively as the malaise lies deeper. Anti-North Indian tirade The ‘Marathi Manoos’ issue will be a crucial factor in attracting votes in many urban areas. In what seemed to be a replay of the anti-south Indian tirade of Bal Thackeray in the 1960s, his nephew Raj Thackeray took up the cause again and made it his sole agenda. The only difference was that this time it was the North Indians, who were at the receiving end. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), under the leadership of Raj has, time and again, raised the issue of work force from states like UP and Bihar taking away jobs from the state’s locals. The state witnessed violent protests in which the North Indian community had to bear the brunt of MNS cadres demanding ouster of all migrants. The tactical silence maintained by NCP chief Sharad Pawar and a lackadaisical attitude of the then state Chief Minister handed MNS mileage. This would certainly reflect in the voting pattern in North-Indian dominated areas of the state. Naxalism Naxalism is also going to be a burning issue in the Assembly election and the opposition is trying its best to exploit public outrage over the killings of innocents. Gadchiroli district, which is a stronghold of Naxalites and borders Chhattisgarh, has witnessed many deadly attacks. In February 2009, Maoists killed 15 policemen in an ambush in the border area of Gadchiroli. In 2008, four police officers were killed in the Rajaram Khanla region of south Gadchiroli. In 2006, seven cops were killed in a landmine blast at Bewartola in Gondia district. In 2005, explosions in Gadchiroli and Gondia districts killed 14 policemen. Recent reports also suggest that Maoist guerillas in large numbers are gearing up to disrupt assembly polls. The Centre is also said to be preparing a large scale assault on the Naxals after election. Belgaum issue Maharashtra and Karnataka have been fighting over Belgaum since 1956, when the district was made a part of Karnataka with passing of the States Reorganisation Act. Belgaum, on the border of Maharashtra and Karnataka, is a part of the latter state, but is being claimed by the Shiv Sena as a part of the former. Recently, Karnataka even held its Legislative Assembly Session in Belgaum to give it the status of a sub-capital of sorts. Belgaum, as always, is going to figure in the elections as the Shiv Sena has more or less made it a prestige issue. Sangli riots Communal tensions erupted on the Anant Chaturdashi day- September 3- when some pro-Hindutva organisations tried to raise an arch on the immersion procession route, depicting murder of Mughal warrior Afzul(afzal or afzul) Khan by Shivaji recorded in Maratha history. It sparked off violent clashes between two groups and its repercussions were felt in Sangli city, where life remained still for a few days and several leaders from ruling and opposition parties visited the area to calm the situation- as also to play their own politics. SEZ & Infrastructure A Special Economic Zone in Raigad is at the heart of yet another political storm. Many farmers, with stars in their eyes and seeing Mumbai’s glitter, have switched sides- in favour of retaining their land. Raigad is currently represented by Congress veteran and Minority Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Antulay. His silence on the SEZ issue could yield some surprising results. With the onset of monsoon every year, Mumbai comes to a grinding halt. Various governments, which have come to power till date, have failed to create substantial infrastructure that could provide relief to the common man. Other than this, poor transportation, local trains, which are considered the lifeline of Mumbai being overcrowded and roads that are terribly congested, are issues that will directly affect the fortunes of any ruling party. Also, global recession has left a deeper imprint in the state, with Mumbai being India’s financial capital. In the 2004 Assembly election for the 288 seats in Maharashtra, the Congress contested on 157 and won 69 while the NCP contested on 127 seats and won 71. However, to win for the third time in a row, both the partners will have to go the extra mile.