Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, What’s Going Wrong?

It will not do for Team Sarbananda Sonowal to bask in the glory of the recent panchayat polls victory. They must remember that the political engineering of panchayat polls is different from the one of assembly or parliamentary polls – because issues are different, and imperatives to are so

In 2016, the BJP’s rise to power at Dispur by ousting the Congress that had ruled the State for the one-and-a-half decade was commendable. It was set to rule Assam for the first time. Now that it has completed two-and-a-half years of its rule, a reality check has become imperative as to whether the much-awaited change the party had promised is anywhere near reality. One cannot be oblivious of the hopes of the indigenous people who had propelled the party to such height. Let’s go in for a reality check then.

First, development and overhaul of basic infrastructures and facilities pertaining to roads, electric power, health services and education are not happening as anticipated. Promises were tall, but the picture is dismal as yet.

Second, it seems that Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is heavily dependent on a small coterie of bureaucrats to take major decisions. Such dependence of a selective kind has led to resentment in the bureaucracy at large. This cannot augur well for the State when it comes to overall and inclusive development.

Third, resentment is also brewing among a section of ministers who are not satisfied and hence not happy, due to their failure to deliver services to the people owing to lack of adequate financial support.

Fourth, the Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has failed to address the core issues of the State on the right platforms even before the national leaders of the party, thus reflecting on his failure to project himself as a leader fully committed to the core causes of the State. This is disappointing as when he started to lead the State, the impression was that as a jaatiya naayak (that he was then referred to) he would provide the people a tall leadership, especially when it came to indigenous issues.

Fifth, the BJP leaders are seen glossing over the indigenous aspirations of the State by bringing in the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 which blatantly militates against the very spirit of the Assam Accord. Where is then that grand promise of ridding the State of every single illegal Bangladeshi, Hindu or Muslim?

Sixth, the BJP leaders are seen holding a whole gamut of meetings and rallies by spending the taxpayers’ money, while as development-focused, pro-people leaders (which they used to call themselves before the 2016 polls) they should have invested the same amount of money, time and energy in public work.

Seventh, the prices of all essential commodities have been going through the roof, but these leaders seem to have chosen to overlook the agony caused to commoners.

Eighth, a meaningful and pragmatic roadmap to crack the burning unemployment problem has yet to be seen. It is as if the political leadership is either bereft of solid ideas or has chosen to gloss over the reality very expediently. Why is it still lost on them that until and unless the problem of both unemployment and unemployability is solved, development will remain a mere mirage? Mere tall talks cannot do, action can.

Lastly, surge in killings, extortion and intimidation by militants, including those belonging to the ULFA(I), is again beginning to be a cause of grave concern, affecting the lives of ordinary citizens.

All of the above are serious points for the BJP leadership in the State to pause for a while and ponder as to whether they have done justice to the huge mandate they had earned in 2016. It will not do for Team Sarbananda Sonowal to bask in the glory of the recent panchayat polls victory. They must remember that the political engineering of panchayat polls is different from the one of assembly or parliamentary polls – because issues are different, and imperatives too are so. At the end of the day, the people of the State are going to cast a glance at the vast array of promises made to them by the party in the run-up to the last assembly polls, and if they ponder on their betrayal, the mandate next time around might come up as a big surprise too – not in favour of today’s leadership at Dispur. Therefore, it is for the party to introspect. The question, however, is whether the party is willing to do so or whether it still believes that public memory is always short. The party still has a chance to choose.

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