Kaun banega CM? This still remains the big question in Maharashtra even 11 days after the results were declared. The stalemate amidst various offers and counter-offers in lieu of the most lucrative post of the commercial capital of India continues without any end in sight. While opting for the coalition, the voters would have not realised that they would be putting the two political partners into a Catch-22 situation. If, at the very outset, they are not able to overcome the issue of power sharing, how will they be able to resolve people’s problems? — Raghubir Singh Pune • Horse trading between the Congress and NCP over the selection and appointment of the new chief minister for Maharashtra has remained almost uncommented on in the press. Yet, this same press was in the forefront of anti-government campaigns when the NDA was in power. Shame! — Bandu Hegde Pune It’s all Maya • Apropos ‘Poor roped in to launder Maya millions: CBI’ (IE, October 27), I would like to congratulate the IT Department for revealing the truth. But the real problem is to arrest of the culprit. Politicians like Mayawati have enough political clout to escape the consequences of their actions. Also, there are many more in politics whose income should be scrutinised. — Mohammad Ausaf Mumbai Naxal watch • I have been reading scathing attacks on the new AP government’s handling of Naxalite movement in your editorials (‘Gadar’s Balladeers’, IE, October 25). The incensed tone and tenor of the editorials conveniently forget that the repression and hunting down of Naxalites over the past 15 years has not yielded any benefits in terms of rooting out the movement. In fact the opposite has happened, their support base has surged as seen from the rallies that they have organised. While it is true that the Naxalites still do not believe in any form of democratic norms in the resolution of disputes, credit has to be given to the AP government for formulating fresh thinking on the Naxal issue. The only thing the previous AP government managed to do was to sweep the trouble under the carpet away from the eyes of the scanners only for it to explode right under its CM. It is going to take persuasion and time to bring a level of confidence in these people to deal with the government of the day. It may succeed or may be unsuccessful, but at least a new beginning is made. Your editorial smacks of a centuries-old feudal mentality and fear when it comes to addressing some basic demands of one section of society. — Vijai J. Philadelphia • Why put all the blame on the home minister and chief minister for the Naxal talks? Is the Great Renouncee, Sonia Gandhi, not responsible for the mess that the Congress has created? Or is it that all successes are due to her and all failures are to be passed on to scapegoats? — Sudhir Jatar Pune Ganguly’s out • It was shocking to note that M. Kaif, who played better than most others, didn’t find a place in the final 11. Obviously the one man who should be dropped in the current situation is Saurav Ganguly. So it is good that he was kept out, whether it was because of his injury or just as an excuse. — Azam Bangalore
