Was it just a coincidence that the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues spent so much of their time in the hills in the past few days, just as the build-up to the Kedarnath assembly bypoll was taking place? The leaders probably felt it was necessary to remind the hill-folk that the government is truly concerned about their welfare. Will this continue after the votes are cast? It remains to be seen. Hopefully, even during this brief sojourn in the hills, a more immediate understanding of the problems there will have been gained. Especially as there were direct interactions with the common people during the occasional morning walk or temple visit.
Quite a bit will depend on the result of the Kedarnath by-election. It is a seat that was held by the BJP and, should it be ousted, the political dynamics of the state will be changed somewhat. This is despite the ruling party having a comfortable majority. It will certainly reflect on the energy with which the opposition will approach the coming session of the Vidhan Sabha. There will also be a possible impact on Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s standing with the party high command.
Have the issues upon which votes have been cast in Kedarnath been local ones or are they reflective of a general opinion on the manner in which the state is being run? It cannot be said, for example, that matters are under control administratively. One example is the failure to curb road accidents, for which the shortcomings in the regulatory system are also greatly responsible. There is the occasional stark reminder of the rising crime graph. There are indications of mismanagement in government departments, which in the case of hospitals, for instance, could prove devastating. Only a handful of ministers seem to be proactively doing their jobs, while the others have left it to the officials to manage things. It is questionable whether they even have the capability to do the required job. While this will undoubtedly impact public sentiment during election time, it will also affect the CM’s authority within the party.
All the proposed changes in the law that are being projected as essential to the people’s well-being are not only constitutionally uncertain but also may prove unenforceable; will result in just more files being pushed around. It would be good if a win in Kedarnath does not push the system into further complacency, for the problems are real and cannot be overlooked.
