Letter from the Editor-in-Chief
Modi: Great Expectations
Dear friends
Narendra Modi was sworn in as the 15th Prime Minister of India in a very impressive function which was also attended by the heads of all the SAARC countries. Perhaps after Jawaharlal Nehru, no other Prime Minister has stirred up such high hopes in the mind of the people of India that their aspirations will be met by the Modi Government. The new Government has indeed given enough signals of change. Change in governance is the need of the hour. It is the future which will tell us the level of success the first full - fledged BJP Government along with its allies will be able to deliver for the nation.
It is no doubt that in the recent past there was a total paralysis in governance and the functioning of Government departments. This affected development. To quote one example the Ministry of Environment is having project proposals of huge amounts pending and decisions with regard to these proposed projects will definitely have an impact on the economy. The challenge before the new Government as to how it will bring a stop to corruption. When a crucial decision is left pending it costs the nation dearly. Hence – ensuring accountability in all the spheres of democracy will be tough task for the new Government but will be a bold and well received move should Narendra Modi’s Government be able to pull it off. We join the nation in congratulating Narendra Modi and hope that, as he said, “Good days are coming” for the nation.
Post the general elections of 2014, there have been a few noteworthy political developments in a few States of the North East region namely Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Sikkim. In a feat that will be hard – matched, Pawan Chamling was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Sikkim for the fifth consecutive time on the 21st of May 2014. Even as he assumes control of the State, Pawan Chamling is now set to break the record of former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu as the longest serving Chief Minister of the country. Jyoti Basu currently holds this record through his service as the Chief Minister of West Bengal for more than 23 years from June 21st 1977 to November 5th 2000.
Further east, it is a similar story in Arunachal Pradesh where the Chief Minister of the State Nabam Tuki has retained his seat as the Chief Minister of the eastern – most corner of the country. Nabam Tuki was unanimously selected as the 8th Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh after the ouster of Jarbom Gamlin as the Chief Minister of the State. Gamlin had been sworn in after the sad demise of Dorjee Khandu in a helicopter crash on the 30th of April 2011. In complete contrast to the general election results throughout the country, the Congress party registered a convincing victory in Arunachal Pradesh by winning a total of 21 out of the 60 Assembly seats in the State with the BJP managing to win just a single seat.
As a direct result of the recently concluded general elections, Nagaland is witnessing a passing of the guard as the former Chief Minister of the State Neiphiu Rio had submitted his resignation to Nagaland Governor Ashwani Kumar after being elected to the 16th Lok Sabha even as there is a strong undercurrent of rebellion that is being felt in the corridors of power at Dispur and Shillong.
We believe that change is always for good. We are happy that all our predictions about the elections came true. All said and done – ultimately it is time that will tell and all we can do is wait.