Secondary concerns

State elections seem to be taking a toll on national decisions. After the Supreme Court decision cancelled all but four coal block allocations last month, Piyush Goyal, the minister who oversees the critical allied sectors of coal and power, has steadfastly stayed away from providing distraught companies any signals of how the government planned to react. Meanwhile, ministry officials have also rubbished talk of the government forming a committee to examine re-allocations. So even as executives of companies that have lost their mines and coal linkages and stand to pay heavy court-ordered penalties are anxiously doing the rounds of the coal, power, law and finance ministries in search of answers, Goyal has been jet-setting to Maharashtra every week to prepare for the upcoming by-polls in his state. So much for the National Democratic Alliance being more industry-oriented than the United Progressive Alliance.