Opinion: Predatory politics of BJP exposed

The BJP-led central govt, which is so enamoured of reforms, has not brought any worthwhile reform in the anti-defection law.

By JR Janumpalli

The Moinabad farmhouse expose of political horse-trading is a revelation that should stun us all. It upstages such earlier happenings. Here the scheme was Rs 50-100 crore for each MLA, and it could be for 30 or even more MLAs. Had it been successful, it would have brought down the TRS government in Telangana.

---

In the expose, it is revealed that it has happened in eight States, with the involvement of thousands of crores of rupees. The details were brought out in a sensational expose by the TRS’ counter manoeuvre. This extraordinary expose can have serious implications for politics in the country.

As usual and as is the wont in Indian politics, there was a cacophony of opinions on the episode. Some called it a farce or fiction, some others termed it a drama. It is argued that the politicians who exposed it themselves are not the paragons of virtue. So it is not such a sensational event as it made out to be. But the fact is, the incident took place, and it went to the High Court which initiated certain proceedings against the actors involved in it. The case is on.

Turf War in Telangana

Horse-trading has only grown in the country. The loose anti-defection law and its partisan political interpretation by the authorities have not helped matters. The present Central government, which is enamoured of so many reforms, has not brought in any worthwhile reform in it. On the contrary, amendments like removing the cap on donations to political parties and the audit on them, and the new electoral bonds have increased the money flow into the ruling political party coffers.

It is said that the BJP is the biggest beneficiary of anonymous political contributions from electoral bonds. It is also said the BJP is the richest political party in the country accounting for more than 70% of the assets of major political parties. This and the compulsive desire for the expansion of the BJP all over India have increased horse trading as never before.

In this background, the revelation in Moinabad does not come as a surprise. The BJP has been waging a tough turf war in Telangana in the last two years and was using all means to upstage the TRS in the State. The GHMC and a few by-elections were used to increase its vote share. It also used other political and economic means on the TRS government. It included economic siege on the State, withholding the regular funds and not extending any additional financial help from the Centre. It found fault with its schemes, which it had approved and appreciated earlier, and tried to stall them, causing a deliberate financial strain on the State.

The latest was foisting of Munugode by-election on the TRS to corner it and win the election by any means and show that the TRS is losing its ground in the State before the coming general elections. This by-election is an archetypal example of the predatory politics of the BJP. In this bizarre plot, K Rajgopal Reddy was inveigled into the BJP and made to resign from the Congress and as an MLA to force the by-election. Then he was made the BJP candidate in the by-election. The price for the whole artifice is a Rs 18,000-crore contract for mining in the Chandragupta coal mine in Jharkhand.

Mining Corruption

It is said that the Chandragupta opencast coal mine operated by Central Coalfields, a subsidiary of Coal India Limited, was awarded to Adani Enterprises Ltd, in a global tender bidding in December 2020, for about Rs 28,000 crore. But for reasons best known to the government, a second-time national tender was called for it in Feb 2021, cancelling the first. This time too the Adani firm participated. But Shashi Infra, belonging to Rajgopal Reddy, got the contract for Rs just 18,264 crore. It is reported that many bid conditions and other stipulations were altered to make the ineligible Shashi Infra eligible for the contract, violating the established norms. The experience of the company is in construction, roadworks, waterworks, etc. Its mining experience is said to be just 0.88%.

Rajgopal Reddy’s gambit looked like a perfect quid pro quo act here. In the 2G spectrum case, wherein the BJP was the major electoral beneficiary, it was an alleged notional loss to the nation. Here it is a direct real loss of Rs 8,000 crore. Rajgopal Reddy revealed the nexus between this contract and his becoming a BJP candidate openly during campaigning. It was also complained to the CEC. But as expected no action was taken.

Therefore, the predatory politics of the BJP, spending crores of illegal money toppling the legitimately elected State governments should not be taken lightly. This Moinabad poachgate is real and its exposure is very important to stop this rapacious politics of the BJP. The victory of the TRS in Munugode rejecting the electoral fraud endorses it emphatically. Telangana shows the way!