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An eventful year for Madhya Pradesh

Bhopal: A pro-active role by Governor Balram Jakhar, controversial death of a former college teacher allegedly by saffron student activists and fiery leader Uma Bharti's floating a political outfit kept the BJP Government in Madhya Pradesh on tenterhooks in 2006.

The year saw the birth of a new political party as fiery sanyasin Uma Bharti formed Bharatiya Janashakti (BJS), which made its presence felt by splitting saffron votes despite defeat in by-polls, including the one held in her home turf Bada Malhara.

A series of queries from Governor Balram Jakhar on contentious issues culminated in a directive to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan seeking examination by the cabinet of the multi-crore social security pension scam in Indore involving a State minister as the year drew to a close.

Protesting the Governor's role, State PWD minister Kailash Vijayavargiya reportedly threatened to complain to the President while State BJP chief Narendra Singh Tomar asked the Raj Bhavan to maintain the dignity of the constitutional post and not become a ``centre of Congress politics''.

Professor's killing

Differences, believed to have surfaced over Jakhar's penchant for reforms in universities, were followed by his queries about the status of probe in the alleged killing of college professor H.S. Sabharwal at Ujjain in violence during student union polls on August 26.

The killing of Sabharwal came as a major embarrassment to BJP as leaders of its student wing ABVP were charged in the murder case.

The Governor also sought detailed information from the Government on religious conversions that had taken place in different districts of the State in the last several years after a bill passed by the State assembly to check conversion through force or allurement was sent for his approval.

Already in mission mode for the next assembly elections due after two years, BJP saw a change in State party leadership twice in the year as Satyanarayan Jatiya was replaced by State minister Tomar last month.

Considered close to the Chief Minister, Tomar has tightened Chouhan's grip over the party.

Bolstered by Chouhan's victory in Budhni bye-election in April, BJP scored impressive wins in successive by-polls held in Vidisha Lok Sabha and Bada Malhara and Pandhana assembly constituencies, proving wrong the existence of an anti-incumbency factor.

On its part, the Congress seemed to be disorganised and unable to effectively corner BJP on issues like power shortage, roads, water supply and law and order.

Natural calamities like flood and heavy downpour claimed more than 100 lives in the State besides causing extensive damage to standing crops and loss of livestock and flattening a large number of dwelling structures in vast parts of the State.

A tragedy involving the death of over 100 pilgrims took place in Datia district as they were swept away by strong currents of Sindh river in October following sudden release of water from a dam.

Another major accident occurred at Govindgarh in Rewa district when more than 50 people were killed when a passenger bus fell into a pond. - PTI

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