Assembly election results

The much awaited election results in the five States that went to polls signal a tectonic shift in national politics, with the BJP retaining power in the country’s most populous and electorally crucial state of Uttar Pradesh and Yogi Adityanath set to become the first chief minister to return to power after serving a full five-year term in the State. Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party is on its way to becoming first regional party to win a second State. The victories of the BJP in UP, Goa and Tripura and AAP in Punjab suggest the sway of welfare politics over the voters as both the parties have focused on welfare schemes and their effective delivery system cutting across religious and caste lines.

Considered as a referendum on Prime Minister Modi’s popularity and the BJP’s governance record ahead of the 2024 national election, the five State assembly poll results represent big gains for the BJP and have helped anchor itself as the dominant political force. While the performance of the Samajwadi Party led by Akhilesh Yadav, with around 32 per cent of vote share, is impressive, it could not stop the BJP juggernaut from rolling on. Barring Goa and Tripura, Congress had failed to stage a comeback. Its decimation in Punjab and UP has now cast a big shadow over the leadership of the Gandhis and may trigger a massive churn.

M Jeyaram

Sholavandan, TN

Curb subsidies, freebies

Apropos ‘Subsidy Raj holding back economic progress’ (March 10), it is true that whenever new schemes for the agriculture and health sectors are introduced, financial support from the government is needed for a short period initially.

Phased withdrawal of such monetary support must be undertaken once the schemes have been rolled out smoothly. In reality, political pressures, both at the Central and State levels, seldom permit the abolition or reduction of subsidies, thus permanently burdening the exchequer. Subsidy should continue only in select areas of agriculture and health.

Similarly, ‘freebies’ that political parties handout to woo the electorate are a drain on the exchequer. Freebies are generally given by political parties when not in power, but once they come to power, the financial burden involved in doling out the freebies falls on the government. It is not right for any party to use the government’s kitty to fulfil its electoral promises. It is time suitable amendments are made to existing laws banning freebies altogether.

RV Baskaran

Chennai

Energy storage tech

Solar, wind and other neo-energies could well become the dominant source of electricity in this century. Today we have limited ability to store electricity, but this will change as new technologies enter the market. Major energy companies are vigorously backing battery development, and many start-ups are researching and testing the next generation of storage technologies.

A liquid nitrogen thermal system that can store hundreds of megawatts of electricity cheaply and efficiently is promising. Only when storage technologies get honed for higher efficiencies, exponential strides in renewable energy can be made.

R Narayanan

Navi Mumbai

GST rate

This refers to ‘Not now’ (March 10). Indeed, GST collections are satisfactory and tax compliance is strengthening with the introduction of e-invoices and a streamlined GST return-filing mechanism. At this juncture, any hike in GST rate aimed at raising revenue may pinch both producers and consumers.

Taxpayers are gradually getting to understand the invoice-matching mechanism. Tinkering with the existing rate structure will be detrimental to taxpayers who are now more compliant than ever before. A rate revision can be possibly thought of after the ongoing Russsia-Ukraine conflict ends and inflation eases.

NR Nagarajan

Sivakasi, TN

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