The biggest political news this week has to be the results of UP by-polls and Bihar By-polls. The UP by-polls are considered as the battle of prestige for the ruling BJP.
Of all the news we consume in a day, Political news tops the list easily, for all that is happening around us is political some way or the other. However, sometimes it becomes difficult to keep a tab on everyday developments and one might miss out on the most important development of the day. Thus, HW News brings you a Weekly Political Roundup to keep you up to date with the major and prominent political developments in the country.
This week in politics has been full of events that will forever be remembered in the political history of the country. From the historic Kisan Long March to TDP pulling out of the government and Country’s budget being passed without any discussion, let us have a look at the major political developments of this week in detail:
- Kisan Long March:
The Mumbaikars kick-started the last week as they do any other week. But, this time they have the 35,000 farmers who marched all the way from Nashik to Mumbai to thank for this. The farmers who were upset with the state government’s policies decided to walk 180 kilometres to make the government listen to their demands. The Kisan Long March was organized by the All India Kisan Sabha which affiliated with CPI(M). On Sunday, the farmers reached the Somaiyya Ground in Sion and had decided to march till the Maharashtra Assembly the following morning. However, to not cause any trouble to the Mumbaikars and especially the students appearing for the board exams, the farmers marched till Azad Maidan in CSMT overnight. The gesture shown by the farmers was reciprocated by the citizens of Mumbai across the religious, cast lines who set an example of humanity by providing the farmers with food, water and even foot wares.
The next day, a delegation of the farmers met the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis taking up their demands. After the meet, Fadnavis in a press conference told the media that the government has accepted 90% of the farmer’s demands and the government will implement them within next six months. Following the assurance, the farmers called off the protest and returned to Nashik.
You can read the more detailed report on the Kisan Long March here:
Kisan long march reaches Azad Maidan overnight to avoid inconvenience to Mumbaikars
Kisan Long March: Fadnavis government accepts farmers’ demands
- The UP by-polls and Bihar by-poll results:
The biggest political news this week has to be the results of UP by-polls and Bihar By-polls. The results of Lok Sabha by-polls in UP’s Gorakhpur and Phulpur and Bihar’s Araria came out on March 14. The UP by-polls are considered as the battle of prestige for the ruling BJP. Both the seats of Gorakhpur and Phulpur were held by BJP’s Yogi Adityanath and Keshav Prasad Maurya, respectively. BJP had won both the seats in 2014 Lok Sabha elections. However, the seats became vacant after both the leaders were elected to legislative councils. Yogi Adityanath, currently the UP CM had been the member of parliament from Gorakhpur constituency five times.
However, this time the alliance between arch-rivals Samajwadi party and Akhilesh Yadav worked out and the alliance candidate clinched the constituency from the BJP. On the other hand, BJP also lost the Araria constituency to RJD candidate Sarfaraj Alam. The UPby-polls and Bihar By-polls results were looked at as the growing dissatisfaction among people against the Modi government. After the BJP’s humiliating defeat in the UP by-polls, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and Congress President Rahul Gandhi took a dig at the BJP government.
On the other hand, SP and BSP, ecstatic with the win addressed their party men and told them to start campaigning.
You can read the more detailed report on the UP and Bihar By-poll results:
Samajwadi Party grips a winning streak in Gorakhpur and Phulpur by-polls
- The Budget 2018-19 being passed in the parliament without any discussion:
This perhaps should have been the most focused on news. But as the UP and Bihar By-polls results came out the same day it was missed out on the prime time news. The government passed the entire country’s budget expenditure within just 36 minutes without inviting any discussion or debate on it.
The government moved a procedure called “guillotine” putting all the grants demand to vote at once. PNB issue had been prominent one where opposition MPs demanded a clarification from the government. On the other hand, MPs from TDP, YSR Congress raised slogans against centre’s inaction on Andhra Pradesh Special Status. Amidst the entire ruckus, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley introduced Finance and Appropriation bill which was then voted and passed by the means of voice notes without inviting any discussion. The bills list spending plan worth ₹89.25 lakh crore.
Congress who was protesting against the guillotine method used in the Lok Sabha called it a black day for democracy. Samajwadi Party’s Dharmendra Yadav was also in the well shouting slogans. He could be heard saying, “Don’t stifle the democratic voices this way.”
You can read the more detailed report on the Budget 2018-19 being passed in the parliament without any discussion, here:
Lok Sabha passes Budget 2018-19 without any discussion in just under 30 minutes!
- TDP Dumps NDA:
A week after pulling out from the NDA government led by Bharatiya Janata Party, Telugu Desam party has finally decided to quit the NDA coalition as well. TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had decided to break away from the government after the Centre’s alleged ignorance towards the Special Status demand by the Andhra Pradesh.
The new blow comes to BJP in the wake of already one ally-Shivsena abandoning the NDA coalition for 2019 Lok Sabha Election. On the backdrop of the humiliating defeat of BJP at the hands of SP-BSP alliance and RJD in UP By-polls and Bihar Bypolls, this development has delivered another setback for the party.
TDP today called a meeting of its politburo where it was also decided that the party will back YSR Congress’ decision to move a No-Confidence motion against the Modi government.
You can read the more detailed report on the TDP Dumps NDA, here:
TDP quits NDA; supports YSR Congress’ no-confidence motion against BJP
After TDP breakout NDA allies send out a unanimous message to BJP- “Talk to alliance partners”
- Arvind Kejriwal apologises to Bikram Majithia:
In another moral blunder, the Aam Adami Party chief and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal wrote an apology letter to Bikram Majithia- a Shiromani Akali Dal leader whom he had alleged to be involved in a drug trade. Bikram Majithia had filed a defamation case against Kejriwal and other party members for this allegations. However, it is said that Arvind Kejriwal has apologised to him end the defamation case.
The move has caused a chaos in the party members. Following Kejriwal’s apology, AAP’s Punjab unit chief Bhagvat Mann resigned from his post while the Lok Insaaf Party who supported the AAP during Punjab Assembly elections slammed him for turning back on his words. This stands to be Kejriwal’s second apology after he had made one in August last year to Avtar Singh Bhadana to end a defamation case which was fought with much bitterness.
However, many of his own party members do not agree with his stance including the Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh Azad. Azad in his statement said that Majithia is involved in destroying lives of several families in Punjab. He, however, refused to comment on the apology letter tendered by the Arvind Kejriwal. But, said that he is still holding the allegations against Majithia.
This move of Kejriwal also drew widespread flak from the opposition and supporters as well.
You can read the more detailed report on the Arvind Kejriwal apology to Bikram Majithia, here:
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal makes an apology to Bikram Majithia
Bhagwant Mann resigns a day after AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal apologizes to Majithia
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