After 'vote chori', it's 'satta chori', claims opposition, says bill aimed at keeping Naidu, Nitish in check

NEW DELHI: Even as it anchored the protest against the bill on unseating jailed ministers and CMs in the constitutional provisions, Congress claimed BJP brass was conjuring up the provision to keep a check on its two allies - CMs Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar - a political spin that struck a chord with the rest of the opposition as the issue flared up Wednesday.

Rahul Gandhi said the bill takes the country back to "medieval times" when a king could just remove anybody at will, just for not liking somebody's face.


In the thick of opposition protest on "vote chori", Modi govt's move on a constitutional amendment to provide for automatic dismissal of any minister who has been jailed for 30 days, initially surprised anti-BJP camp. But INDIA bloc soon concluded it was a BJP bid to "distract" people from "vote chori" that has triggered a national campaign under a united rival camp.

Congress MP K C Venugopal said, "When allies like Naidu and Nitish need to be threatened... the home minister brings this dangerous bill that strikes at the heart of the constitutional principles."

The spin is not only in step with opposition's jibes post-2024 that Modi 3.0 is governing on crutches, but adds an intrigue to it. INDIA has been relishing the fact that TDP chose to write to EC on SIR in line with opposition's concerns and in defiance of BJP. It also inserts a mischief ahead of Bihar polls where BJP is aligned with JD(U).

But the generic attack line, that further cements the unity among regional parties, is that BJP is looking to destabilise opposition states. Congress MP Manickam Tagore sarcastically said, "Amid 'vote chori', this is law for 'satta chori'."

RSP MP N K Premachandran said it is Article 356, by which the Centre can dismiss a state govt, by another name. "It is, in fact, an easier 356. Under the proposed law, you don't need a governor's report or evidence. Just file a case and arrest a CM for a month, and the govt is vulnerable."

Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee said, "When EC could not be twisted to their tune, they unleashed ED, with an ulterior motive to jail opposition leaders, topple elected govts, and steal people's mandate. This is a super emergency."