The Latest: Top stories of the day
1. French warplanes struck Islamic State targets in Syria in retaliation for the Paris attacks, as unease continued to prevail in the the French capital.
2. At the G20 summit in Turkey, Prime Minister Narendra Modi put forward a 10-point proposal to tackle terrorism, including a stronger role for the United Nations.
3. Nepal's Prime Minister KP Oli called on India to "immediately lift the undeclared blockade" it had imposed after the new Constitution was promulgated.
The Big Story: Less-than-Grand Alliance
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has said that a Grand Alliance of the sort that just beat the Bharatiya Janata Party in Bihar is possible in his state in the 2017 elections. In terms of pure politics that would be something quite similar, since, like in Bihar, it would involve the Samajwadi Party working with its rival Bahujan Samaj Party after years of attacking each other, just to beat the BJP. Getting SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and BSP head Mayawati on the same dais would truly be a feat.
But it would not replicate the Bihar template for one simple reason: anti-incumbency. Bihar Chief Minister NItish Kumar may have run the state for a decade before this election, but the last year has been up and down for him, as he gave up his seat, broke off his alliance with the BJP, and then came back with his own rival party in tow. Kumar is still known for being the leader who brought development to Bihar. The year of uncertainty, including his resignation after Lok Sabha polls, worked to deflate some of the anti-incumbency.
Unless something dramatic happens in UP before 2017, always a possibility because of the high stakes involved there, the Samawadi Party will not even be close to the same position. The return of Akhilesh Yadav's party to Uttar Pradesh has also meant the return of lawlessness, communal violence and arbitrary decision making. People were largely happy with Nitish Kumar in Bihar. They are not happy with Akhilesh Yadav.
The Samajwadi Party had been a part of the Grand Alliance in Bihar, until it stormed out, possibly from having seen greener grass in not fighting the BJP. Coming on board now would not only be belated, the danger would be that anger against the Samawadi Party government and its cadres could bring down anyone who shares a stage with them.
The Big Scroll: Scroll.in on the day's biggest story
Akhilesh Yadav just reshuffled his Cabinet, inducting 12 new ministers in an effort to improve administration ahead of 2017 polls. Within the Samajwadi Party, a feud may be brewing between father and son, Dhirendra Jha writes. And Ajaz Ashraf explains why Mulayam Singh Yadav continues to be known as the Great Betrayer.
Politicking & Policying
1. A revitalised Opposition is all set to attack the government in the upcoming winter session of Parliament, with intolerance likely to be the issue at hand.
2. The Hindu Mahasabha chose to observe November 14, Children's Day, as Balidan Divas (day of sacrifice) on the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse. The Bharatiya Janata party condemned the move.
3. A Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh senior leader in Chhattisgarh said he doesn't consider Maoists enemies, but did want to ask them why they never targeted churches.
4. The Times of India crunches the numbers to show how the Indian Administrative Services, which is fighting to be paid more than other services, steadily lost its hold of the bureaucracy post-independence, and then came back in numbers in the 1990s.
5. A Cabinet reshuffle and expansion might be in store for Maharashtra, with more slots for the Shiv Sena on the cards, despite their unhappiness with the BJP.
Punditry
1. Debashis Basu in the Business Standard lists out the things that are likely to hobble the Modi government during the remainder of its tenure.
2. Arun Shourie tells the Hindustan Times that the government's idea of development is large-scale projects, not long-term policy.
3. "It's impossible to overestimate the sense of sullen impotence that grips this cohort of middle-aged men," writes Mukul Kesavan in the Telegraph of the West's response to Paris.
4. For those who want to blame refugees for the Paris attacks, Aaron Y Zelin on Jihadology lists out the many many times the Islamic State has made it clear that it loathes refugees.
Don't Miss
Sanhita Ambast points out the many ironies in the High Court order seeking to enforce the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in Meghalya.
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1. French warplanes struck Islamic State targets in Syria in retaliation for the Paris attacks, as unease continued to prevail in the the French capital.
2. At the G20 summit in Turkey, Prime Minister Narendra Modi put forward a 10-point proposal to tackle terrorism, including a stronger role for the United Nations.
3. Nepal's Prime Minister KP Oli called on India to "immediately lift the undeclared blockade" it had imposed after the new Constitution was promulgated.
The Big Story: Less-than-Grand Alliance
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has said that a Grand Alliance of the sort that just beat the Bharatiya Janata Party in Bihar is possible in his state in the 2017 elections. In terms of pure politics that would be something quite similar, since, like in Bihar, it would involve the Samajwadi Party working with its rival Bahujan Samaj Party after years of attacking each other, just to beat the BJP. Getting SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and BSP head Mayawati on the same dais would truly be a feat.
But it would not replicate the Bihar template for one simple reason: anti-incumbency. Bihar Chief Minister NItish Kumar may have run the state for a decade before this election, but the last year has been up and down for him, as he gave up his seat, broke off his alliance with the BJP, and then came back with his own rival party in tow. Kumar is still known for being the leader who brought development to Bihar. The year of uncertainty, including his resignation after Lok Sabha polls, worked to deflate some of the anti-incumbency.
Unless something dramatic happens in UP before 2017, always a possibility because of the high stakes involved there, the Samawadi Party will not even be close to the same position. The return of Akhilesh Yadav's party to Uttar Pradesh has also meant the return of lawlessness, communal violence and arbitrary decision making. People were largely happy with Nitish Kumar in Bihar. They are not happy with Akhilesh Yadav.
The Samajwadi Party had been a part of the Grand Alliance in Bihar, until it stormed out, possibly from having seen greener grass in not fighting the BJP. Coming on board now would not only be belated, the danger would be that anger against the Samawadi Party government and its cadres could bring down anyone who shares a stage with them.
The Big Scroll: Scroll.in on the day's biggest story
Akhilesh Yadav just reshuffled his Cabinet, inducting 12 new ministers in an effort to improve administration ahead of 2017 polls. Within the Samajwadi Party, a feud may be brewing between father and son, Dhirendra Jha writes. And Ajaz Ashraf explains why Mulayam Singh Yadav continues to be known as the Great Betrayer.
Politicking & Policying
1. A revitalised Opposition is all set to attack the government in the upcoming winter session of Parliament, with intolerance likely to be the issue at hand.
2. The Hindu Mahasabha chose to observe November 14, Children's Day, as Balidan Divas (day of sacrifice) on the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse. The Bharatiya Janata party condemned the move.
3. A Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh senior leader in Chhattisgarh said he doesn't consider Maoists enemies, but did want to ask them why they never targeted churches.
4. The Times of India crunches the numbers to show how the Indian Administrative Services, which is fighting to be paid more than other services, steadily lost its hold of the bureaucracy post-independence, and then came back in numbers in the 1990s.
5. A Cabinet reshuffle and expansion might be in store for Maharashtra, with more slots for the Shiv Sena on the cards, despite their unhappiness with the BJP.
Punditry
1. Debashis Basu in the Business Standard lists out the things that are likely to hobble the Modi government during the remainder of its tenure.
2. Arun Shourie tells the Hindustan Times that the government's idea of development is large-scale projects, not long-term policy.
3. "It's impossible to overestimate the sense of sullen impotence that grips this cohort of middle-aged men," writes Mukul Kesavan in the Telegraph of the West's response to Paris.
4. For those who want to blame refugees for the Paris attacks, Aaron Y Zelin on Jihadology lists out the many many times the Islamic State has made it clear that it loathes refugees.
Don't Miss
Sanhita Ambast points out the many ironies in the High Court order seeking to enforce the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in Meghalya.
Even if the law does not get enforced in Meghalaya, the High Court’s decision has still raises important questions about the role of the judiciary in such situations. It is concerning that an institution which should check executive powers, limit the application of exceptional laws like AFSPA and provide accountability for AFSPA-related violations, is entrenching its operation.
