THE political somersault by Nitish Kumar will rank as one of the biggest of its kind in India’s political history which, anyway, is replete with such opportunistic behaviour by bourgeois politicians. Nitish Kumar, after the success of the mahagathbandhan in the assembly elections in Bihar in 2015, had become the most prominent advocate of a grand anti-BJP alliance at the national level.  Even as late as in April this year, he had advocated the unity of opposition parties to take on the BJP.

THE monsoon session of parliament started on July 17 with the presidential election. Both the houses met and adjourned after obituary reference. All our MPs casted their votes. The counting of votes was scheduled on July 20 and subsequently, Ram Nath Kovind, fielded by the ruling NDA, was elected the 14th president of India. He is the first from the BJP and the second dalit to enter the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

THE Central Committee of the CPI(M) expresses its deep concern at the adverse impact of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) implemented from July 1, 2017.  The GST has put new burdens on the common people, small and tiny enterprises, traders and unorganised sector occupations.  Industries and services like textile, beedi, pharmaceuticals, construction, transport, tailoring, small newspapers, matches and fireworks also have been badly affected; agriculture and allied sectors are also impacted.Though the government claims that the GST has brought down the prices of many commodities, the actual f

THE coordination committee of Bhumi Adhikar Andolan which met in New Delhi has decided to intensify the ongoing farmers struggle and called up on the peasantry to participate in large numbers in the district rally, jail bharo programme across the country on August 9.This will be the largest action as part of the ongoing farmers struggle and will be organised in all the states in the country. BAA has requested active support of central trade unions to make the strike action a success. Peasantry, working class and all other sections of the toiling mass will attend the protest rally.

THE coordination committee of farmers’ organisations had decided to organise large joint peasant conventions for mass awakening (janjaagran) in major districts all over the state from July 10-23. The report of the first few conventions was carried in these columns last week.A total of 15 massive joint conventions of farmers took place in all the five regions of Maharashtra – northern Maharashtra, Konkan, Vidarbha, Marathwada and Western Maharashtra – from July 10-23. Over 40,000 farmers took enthusiastic part in all these conventions despite the sowing season in the monsoons.