Opposition left licking its wounds.
The Congress party is currently on a roll. It won the first major electoral battle after the general election, retaining power in Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh and Haryana. Predictably, the results had the Congress jumping with joy, and left the Opposition licking its wounds.
The results are bound to strengthen the UPA’s stability and the Congress party’s hold at the Centre, besides having an impact on its dealing with allies. There could be a major change in the rules of engagement between the Congress and allies, with the Congress now dictating the course of events rather than putting up with all kinds of demands put on it by some allies. It may also encourage the Congress to go it alone in states like Jharkhand and Bihar.
A pointer to the changed dynamics was evident in the CBI raid on the office of the department of telecom headed by A Raja of the DMK.
The commendable showing in the latest round of assembly elections is yet another vindication of Sonia Gandhi’s leadership and her growing stature in the party.
The Congress party’s third consecutive victory in Maharashtra under her leadership is the party’s best performance since 1985. The confident and decisive manner in which she dealt with YSR Reddy’s son Jaganmohan on Thursday is a clear indicator of the confidence with which she has begun to wield her authority.
Rahul Gandhi’s reforms will receive a greater fillip and there is likelihood of a reshuffle, at the government and party levels. “In all probability the party will become more assertive on the question of the direction of the government’s policies,” political analyst Mahesh Rangarajan said.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}