One nation, one party: Is the anti-defection law dead?
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Welcome to The India Fix by Shoaib Daniyal. A newsletter on Indian politics. (This is the second one this week – a record.)
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One nation, one tax. One nation, one ration card. One nation, one election.
The Modi government loves this slogan format. So much so that it is working hard towards adding another to its arsenal: one nation, one party.
Over the past month, the Trinamool Congress has practically ceased to exist both in the West Bengal Assembly as well Parliament. Last fortnight, 20 Lok Sabha MPs from the Trinamool wrote to the speaker extending support to the Modi government. A few days later, this group announced a merger with an little-known outfit called the Nationalist Citizens Party of India.
Ending the Opposition
The Nationalist Citizens Party of India has fought one election till now. It contested two seats in the last Tripura assembly elections, receiving a total of 822 votes. With this merger, it now becomes the fifth-largest party in India’s lower house.
This absurd turn of events has come about because the MPs are trying to seek refuge in a...