Model Code of Conduct to come in force on March 6-8

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

exclusive report 

Model Code of Conduct to come in force on March 6-8

PM Modi to launch 70 projects in 70 days

Countdown for Lok Sabha poll begins

Amit Shah placates annoyed Mps

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Dec. 29

The countdown for the Lok Sabha poll has begun which is just 70 days away. As the Model Code of Conduct is likely to come in force any time between March 6-8 when the Election Commission issues notification, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a hurricane tour of the country inaugurating one project or the other and rolling out series of welfare schemes to placate all section of society. All infrastructure ministries including the Road Transport have been directed to complete projects. The Road ministry itself is in the process of completing projects worth Rs one lakh crores. In order to steal the last mile advantage, Modi will be on a spree to open projects and club them with Congress bashing. A number of AIIMS in various states which are being set up, may be opened by February. If sources are to be believed, Modi will inaugurate one project a day in the next 50 working days.

If sources are to be believed, the government will not wait for the Interim Budget to be presented on February 1 by the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to announce pre-poll doles. In fact, most of the measures relating to the farming, MSMEs, jobless youth and others will be announced immediately after the Parliament's session on January 8.

Since the Interim Budget session will be in continuation of the Winter session, both houses of parliament will re-assemble on January 30. The Budget session will end on February 15.

The PM is meticulously planning his 70-day working plan and traveling almost every day to launch one project or the other as part of his mission “Phir Ek Baar Modi Sarkar”. If he was in Varanasi today, he will be in Port Blair tomorrow where Netaji declared India's first War of Independence.

A high-level team comprising of BJP president Amit Shah, Arun Jaitley and Railway & Coal Minister Piyush Goyal is over-seeing the 2019 poll planning. They are in regular touch with the PM on an hourly basis to discuss every move. Though “Phir Ek Baar Modi Sarkar” tagline is yet to be given the go-ahead for the 2019 parliamentary polls as Modi wants something more catchy.

Piyush Goyal has ordered a fresh nation-wide survey which is being conducted by three leading pollsters to gauge the mood of the nation in different regions. Sources say it was ordered in the third week of December and the report will come in the second week of January. A similar survey by two leading agencies was conducted in August which had given BJP 300 plus seats. But the situation has undergone a sea-change after losses in three Hindi speaking states leaving Modi-Amit Shah team bewildered.

Shah is now holding parleys with 350 Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Mps. He meets 40 Mps every day in two batches so that he could listen to them carefully. He has already met Mps from Bihar, Jharkhand & UP. This is first time he has done in 4 years and signals a change in the handling. Surely, the party doesn't want to leave anything chances before the D-day in May, 2019.

ends

Is the clock ticking for BJP ?

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Is the clock ticking for BJP ?

Ramdev dumps BJP, Apna Dal threatens, Zafar Sareshwala distances

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Dec 26

There is no respite for the ruling BJP and suffering one set back after the other. If it lost a key Bihar ally last week-RLSP, today was the turn of Swami Ramdev who turned his back towards the saffron party. He declared in Madurai today that he won't support any person or oppose any party

and can't tell who will be the “Next PM”. Ramdev's comments appear to be a huge rebuff to PM Modi. He has been closely associated with the BJP, besides supporting its national election campaign in 2014. He said "Now the political situation is very difficult.”

Another shocker came from the Apna Dal in UP which is a key ally in the NDA. The party's chief Ashish Patel, whose wife Anupriya Patel is the Union Minister of State for Health, said BJP's partners in Uttar Pradesh are upset and the party must address the issue. He said in Mirzapur that the party must learn from its recent losses in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, where the Congress formed the government. “ The SP-BSP alliance is a challenge for us. Allies in Uttar Pradesh are upset. Leadership at the centre must do something, else NDA (National Democratic Alliance) would suffer in the state," said Patel.

Obviously Apna Dal is also showing its teeth to BJP leadership with months to go for the 2019 general elections.

The biggest shocker of the day was Yoga teacher Ramdev, who went on to say that it would be difficult to say who will be the next prime minister. "Now the political situation is very difficult. We cannot say who will [be] the next prime minister or who will lead the country, but situation is very interesting..." Ramdev said in Tamil Nadu's Madurai.

"I am not focusing on politics," he said.

"We don't have a political or religious agenda but we want a spiritual country and a spiritual world. Through yoga and Vedic practices, we are making a divine, prosperous and spiritual India," said Ramdev.

What shocked the political watchers was Sareshwala's nuanced statement when he said, “I have been very closely associated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi for nearly 13 years now. However, my association was always limited to PM Narendra Modi and was never with the BJP – in fact, I have never even visited the party’s office in Gujarat or in Delhi.”

Zafar Sareshwala said that BJP has lost the plot and “things are slipping out of Narendra Modi’s hands.”

ends 

PM, Pawar shedding weight, politicians gearing up to be physically fit before polls

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Special Report 

PM, Pawar shedding weight

politicians gearing up to be physically fit before polls

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Dec. 25

Come elections and leaders are working hard to lose weight. With elections are just 100 days away, top leaders of various political parties are doing everything under the Sun to lose weight. The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi is working very hard to shed weight and succeeded losing only three kg. Though he has a gym at his South Block office, he doesn't find time to do it regularly. Yet, he tries hard and do a lots of exercises under a trainer from a para military force. In a month, the PM is able to use the gym for 15 days only. He wants to lose another 7 kg before the parliamentary polls are announced.

The lead has been taken by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who has shed 20 kg weight. Though he underwent a series of surgeries during the past two years including kidney transplant. But he is very strict with his diet and now fully fit and regained a lot of energy.

Another politician who has shed 15 kg weight is NCP president and Rajya Sabha MP Sharad Pawar. He is determined to loose fat and flab. He is undergoing rigorous physical exercises. He has become agile and walking briskly these days.

HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar has installed his own treadmill at his residence and a regular at the Constitution Club of India gym. Environment and Science & technology Minister Harsh Wardhan is also gym regular. Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh is regular at the Lodhi Gardens and so is parliamentary minister of state Vijay Goel. The number of politicians joining the CCI gym is rising and reflects growing awareness among them.

Ends 

BJP in a Bind on advancing Assembly polls in three states

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Special Report

BJP in a Bind on advancing Assembly polls in three states

Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Haryana on the radar

"Time of strengthen NDA” says Amit Shah

wooing Marandi in Jharkhand

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Dec 24

The BJP leadership is in a bind as to what it should do about Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand where Assembly polls are due between October-December 2019.

The core policy group in the BJP is studying the pros & cons of advancing the polls in these states and hold them simultaneously with the Lok Sabha in April-May.

Though the BJP contested the Assembly polls in these states on its on and successful formed governments in Haryana and Jharkhand on its own. In Maharashtra, it entered into a post-poll alliance with the Shiv Sena for the assembly though it secured 122 seats while Sena got 63 in the Assembly of 288. Though both were partners in the Lok Sabha polls, they fell out during the Assembly polls. However, they formed the government together in the state and have been estranged partners as Sena could never reconcile of losing the post of the Chief Minister to BJP. The view is that the BJP may swing the Assembly polls again in these states in its favour by riding on the Modi wave if they are held along with the Lok Sabha.

However, the reasons for advancing the polls in these three states differ from state to state.

In Maharashtra, there is a strong feeling that BJP must go with Shiv Sena in the Lok Sabha polls. But the Sena wants assembly polls be held along with Lok Sabha and share Assembly seats on a 50:50 sharing formula. The Sena wants that the post of the Chief Ministers to be shared for two and a half years each irrespective of number of seats won by any of the partners.

The BJP leadership was on a high until it lost thee Hindi speaking states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to Congress. Since December 12, the BJP leadership is trying to retain allies and conceding their demands too. It wants to retain its existing allies and working hard to expand the NDA. It knows that losing Sena would be a set back in the present scenario.

However, the other view is that the BJP should not concede the post of the Chief Minister to Sena irrespective of the compulsions. A senior member of the BJP Core Group said he is of the firm view that BJP should not succumb to the Sena antics and should not hesitate to go it alone in the Lok Sabha polls. There is no need to advance the Assembly polls. This will send a strong political message. However, no final decision in this regard has been taken either way and the BJP is keeping all options open.

The BJP president Amit Shah has been quoted by core group leader as saying, “Its time to strengthen the NDA.”

In Jharkhand, the BJP trying to woo Babulal Marandi, president Jharkhand Vikas Morcha which secured 8 Assembly seats out of 81 and 10% popular votes. Its a different matter that the BJP took away six of its MLAs in its fold and he is angry since then. Now the BJP doesn't want him to go over to the Congress-JMM alliance. He wants the post of the Chief Minister. In fact, he was with the BJP way back in 2000 and state's chief minister too. But parted company later. The BJP is willing to make him a Cabinet minister at the centre right away.

Ends 

Modi considering Farm Loan Waiver Scheme

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Modi considering Farm Loan Waiver Scheme

Rs 2 lakh crore bonanza on cards to farmers, weavers, artisans, middle class

Interim budget will be full of free-bees

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Dec 20

After debunking the farm loan waivers by the Congress governments at the Centre and states, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seriously toying with the idea of giving massive sops to the farm sector including a loan waiver scheme.

The PMO is of the considered view that loan waiver schemes had helped the parties winning the elections. It was tried by the VP Singh-Devi Lal combine during the 1989 Lok Sabha poll campaign and helped immensely. The final cost to the Central Exchequer in 1990 was Rs 10,000 crores. In 2008, the Manmohan Singh government waived the loans for farmers to the tune of Rs 52260 crores and returned to power.

Highly placed sources in the PMO say that data is being collected on a war-footing basis to identify the number of farmers in each state who will require National Loan Waiver benefits. The loan waivers worth more than Rs 2 lakh crores crores to send a strong signal to the farming community that the Modi government is serious about their well being and taking them out of the distress.

The government has already asked the RBI interim dividend and may also seek extra money within the next one and a half months. A high powered committee will be constituted shortly to lay down guidelines as to how much money RBI will need in its reserve. This committee will be asked to submit its report within 20 days and pave the way for massive transfer of funds from RBI to the government.

Though the BJP leadership has not undertaken a detailed review of the recent losses in the state assembly polls (or not shared reasons of its defeat with the media), it is under pressure to give doles to the various sectors before the Lok Sabha polls are announced in February-end March-first week.

It has been decided that loans will be waived for the weavers community and artisans which are mostly in UP. Similarly, the middle-class will be given some tax rebates. The PM has already announced massive GST relief brining tax regime from 28% to 18%. This will hit the government by another Rs 20000 crores a year. This loss can be off-set if the buoyancy in the economy comes soon.

Those facing GST penalties and other problems may also be given one time amnesty so that they can get rid of harassment.

In order to garner support from the 263 million farmers and their many millions dependents, the Modi government would move towards waiving loans to create a positive climate.

The party leadership feels that Modi's personal graph has not been dented even after the loss of power in three Hindi speaking states. Therefore, immediate relief measures even if they are to the tune of Rs 2 lakh crores or above, could turn the tables nationally in favour of BJP for the Lok Sabha polls.

Insiders say nothing less than the massive doze of concessions to all the sections including the MSMEs, GST, Farmers, weavers & Middle-class will work in favour of Modi.

Economists including NITI Aayog have already cautioned that farm loans waivers would widen a fiscal deficit which has been capped at 3.3 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP), or Rs 6.24 lakh crore.

Ends 

Kushwaha to join Mahagathbandhan

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Lokmat Exclusive report

Kushwaha to join Mahagathbandhan

Contest Lok Sabha polls with Congress-RJD in Bihar alliance sealed

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Dec 18

Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) chief Upendra Kushwaha, who quit the Modi government and snapped his ties with the BJP, is set to join the Congress-led Mahagathbandhan.

Highly placed sources told Lokmat today that Kushwaha has finally made up his mind to join hands with Congress-RJD Mahagathbandhan in Bihar.

Though he had said last week that he has "many options" before him. But he decided to go with the Congress and the RJD in Bihar. A formal announcement in this regard is likely to be made in a couple of days.

These sources also say that the RLSP may be given five Lok Sabha seats in Bihar under the alliance out of the 40 seats. He will have to accept the leadership of Tejashwi for the post for the Chief Minister. He had held a prolonged meeting with senior Congress leaders Ahmed Patel and Akhilesh Prasad Singh last week.

He declined to answer queries on all three of RLSP members in Bihar's bicameral legislature raising a banner of revolt, accusing him of pursuing his "personal interests" and declaring that they would remain in the NDA.

The Congress Party is of the view that Upendra Kushwaha is the leader of the party and has following among the 6% of backwards belonging to his community. Though there has been split in the party as both the MLA and MLC joined the Nitish Kumar camp, Kushwaha is the leader of the community.

With the joining of the RLSP the Mahagathbandhan, it now becomes a G-22 (Group of 22 parties).

Ends

Long holiday for RS after 7 days ruckus

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Long holiday for RS after 7 days ruckus

Rift continues between BJP & Opposition

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Dec. 19

The Rajya Sabha will go for a long holiday beginning December 22 to December 26 and resume functioning from December 27. Initially, the Rajya Sabha was to close down on December 25 for the Christmas holiday. But the members wanted that December 24 and December 26 be also declared as holidays. It is unlikely that the Rajya Sabha will be able to function for the next two days either as ruckus is continuing in the Upper House between the Opposition and the ruling party.

The proceedings in the Rajya Sabha were washed out for the seventh day today after the opposition and treasury benches clashed over the Rafale deal and members from Tamil Nadu continued protesting over the Cauvery issue.

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day after Congress members holding placards seeking a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) into the Rafale deal trooped into the well of the House soon after official papers were laid on the table.

They joined members of the AIADMK and DMK who have been trooping to the well of the House over the Cauvery issue ever since the Winter Session of Parliament began on December 11.

Treasury benches countered the Congress by raising banners seeking an apology from Congress President Rahul Gandhi following the Supreme Court clean chit to the Rafale deal.

Amid the uproar, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Goel demanded that Congress deputy leader Anand Sharma withdraw the remarks made by him in the House on Tuesday.  Naidu also allowed Bhupendra Yadav (BJP) to make his submission on the statement made by the newly sworn-in Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

As the slogan shouting from both sides continued, Naidu said, “It is very clear that none of you want the House to run... I don’t want this (ruckus) to be seen by the people,” he said, while adjourning the proceedings for the day.  The Chairman had categorically told the members that he would adjourn the House within minutes if they did not maintain discipline rather than summoning the house repeatedly and then adjourning several times.
Ends

Top Opposition leaders to attend swearing-in-ceremonies tomorrow

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Top Opposition leaders to attend swearing-in-ceremonies tomorrow

AAP to join the G-21 celebrations 

Rahul, Manmohan Singh, Sharad Pawar, Naidu, Kumaraswamy, Stalin to attend

Sonia to skip, Mayawati to send representative to Bhopal only  

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Dec. 16

The swearing-in-ceremonies of three Congress Chief Ministers at Jaipur, Bhopal & Raipur tomorrow will herald a new era in Opposition unity when leaders of G-21 parties will travel to all three destinations. The G-21 is nick-named as the group of 21 Opposition parties who have come together to dislodge the NDA from the centre in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls. Significantly, the untouchable Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has been formally invited by the Congress to witness the swearing-in-ceremonies. Andhra Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and JD (S) leader and Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy along with his father H D Deve Gowda will attend the swearing-in-ceremony at all the three places.

As per plans, Ashok Gehlot will take oath of office tomorrow at 10.30 at Jaipur while Kamal Nath will be sworn in at 1.30 pm at Bhopal. Bhupesh Baghel will take oath at Raipur at 4.30 or 5 pm. Congress president Rahul Gandhi and former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh along with many opposition leaders including Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel, CPM's Sitaram Yechury, D Raja of CPI and others will fly in a chartered aircraft to all three destinations. Mayawati of BSP has expressed her inability to witness any swearing-in-ceremony. Following her was SP's Akhilesh Singh Yadav who will stay put in Lucknow. But both the parties will send their representatives to Bhopal where they have extended unconditional support.

Sonia Gandhi will not attend any of the swearing-in-ceremonies either due to health reasons. But M K Stalin of the DMK will join the events. All Congress Chief Ministers including Capt Amrinder Singh and other leaders will also be in toe there.

The Congress wants to show case the swearing-in- ceremonies as the victory of the Opposition parties and trying hard that BSP and SP should join the governments. 

ends  

BJP Moves privilege motion against Rahul on Rafale

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

BJP Moves privilege motion against Rahul on Rafale

Speaker to decide its fate tomorrow

BJP knocks at Ethics committee door too

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Dec 17

The BJP on Monday launched a massive offensive against Congress president Rahul Gandhi by moving a privilege motion against him for misleading the Lok Sabha by “utterly false statement” on the Rafale deal.

The four ruling party MP s moved the 2-page privilege motion against Rahul gandhi for his statement made in the Lok Sabha on July 20, 2018 which was nothing but “figment of imagination, incorrect and utterly false”. The MP s charged Rahul Gandhi of misleading the House and held him guilty of Breach of Privilege of Parliament.

The MP s also filed a separate petition before the Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha against Rahul Gandhi saying that his conduct was unbecoming of the MP as he is spreading falsehood in the country despite a clear verdict of the Supreme court on the Rafale deal.

The MP s quoted Rahul Gandhi of saying, “In the Rafale aircraft deal, the UPA government agreed to purchase the aircraft at Rs 520 crores. We do not know what happened and who was spoken to. The Prime Minister went to France but who went with him, the whole country knows. By a magic, the aircraft started costing Rs 1600 crores.”

The MP s said that the above statement is entirely untrue. For reasons of national security, the Government of India has not given out the exact details but has already indicated that the price of the basic aircraft is 9% cheaper and the price of the weaponised aircraft is 20% cheaper compared to the prices being negotiated by the UPA.

The MP s said that this falsehood has been knowingly uttered by him deliberately” and therefore, the motion has been moved.

However, sources say nothing much can be achieved by this motion as the previous privilege motion submitted in the same Rafale deal is still pending with the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.

The four BJP Mps are Nishikant Dubey, Anurag Thakur, Dr Sanjay Jaiswal and Prahlad Patel. If the motion is accepted by the Speaker, it will go to privileges committee of the Lo Sabha headed by first term BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi. But the fate of the motion is unlikely to be decided by the House as it will adjourn on January and will meet for the interim budget on January 30 and adjourn sine die on February 15.

Ends

"We are flexible” says Rahul to G-21 parties

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Exclusive story

"We are flexible” says Rahul to G-21 parties

When Mamata said all are equal, DMK, RJD batted for Rahul

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Dec. 12

Congress president Rahul Gandhi told the leaders of G-21, at the conclave of Opposition parties that his party is “flexible” and willing to accommodate the views of others.

He told the leaders that in order to change the Modi dispensation, the “Congress is willing to change” and give space to others.

according to a senior leader who participated in the conclave told Lokmat that Rahul Gandhi responded with maturity and was clear-headed. 

Rahul Gandhi was responding to suggestions of some of the leaders at the meeting. In fact, it was West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who caused a flutter at the G-21 on Tuesday that “all parties are equal and no one is the leader here.” Mamata Banerjee reacted when the DMK leader M K Stalin who had said earlier that the Congress is the largest grouping in the Opposition and it should play the role of a catalyst. Tejashwi of the RJD who was also present at the meeting had echoed the same sentiments expressed by the DMK. When the turn of Mamata Banerjee came, she said that all parties have to fight the BJP. But no single party can lead it. “We all have to fight together and no one is the leader, “ she thundered.

At this juncture Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu rose to say that the very purpose of the G-21 meeting is to oust the BJP and not to elect a leader or project an individual. Interestingly, it was AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who was having the last laugh at the G-21 meeting. It was first time that Kejriwal was invited to the Opposition conclave. It now transpires that he entered in the hall with Mamata Banerjee who had been fighting for AAP's entry. But it was Chandrababu Naidu who had also been persuading Rahul Gandhi not to make AAP untouchable. If Modi has to be defeated in 2019, AAP has to be acceptable in the grouping. Insiders say that the day is not far when AAP and Congress will have some sort of seat-sharing understanding in Delhi. It was because of this very reason that Kejriwal said at the meeting, “ I am with this thought of unity and I am with you.”

It also transpires that senior Congress leader Ahmad Patel is talking to all the leaders of the Opposition parties to bring them on the table. But this will continue to be a informal arrangement.

Ends 

Congress win a warning bell for BJP in 2019

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Congress win a warning bell for BJP in 2019

politics of hate, DeMo, GST cost BJP Dearly

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Dec 11

The outcome of Assembly poll results in three Hindi heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan is a warning bell for BJP for the battle of 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Though Congress came a cropper in Telangana where it had tied up with the TDP and lost power in Mizoram. But the results established beyond doubt that the “invincible” BJP can be beaten in its strong hold of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh where it was ruling for 15 years. The entire RSS and BJP leadership had put its might behind Shivraj Singh Chouhan. But nothing worked there. The landslide victory of the Congress in Chattisgarh is the biggest surprise of this poll as no one expected it. It was always felt that Jogi-BSP team will cut into the Congress vote bank. But it seems, the opposite happened and it was the BJP which was routed. Its a different matter that BSP and Jogi put together were able to manage respectable nine seats in the 90 member Assembly while the BJP was reduced to 13 and Congress secured 63. Similarly, in Rajasthan where the BJP won all 25 Lok Sabha seats in 2014, crumbled though secured respectable number of seats.

With general elections barely six months away, the real battle has begun particularly in the cow belt and Hindi speaking states comprising of 224 Lok Sabha seats. The BJP had captured as many as 174 seats on its own in these ten states.

If sources are to be believed the G-21, as the conclave of 21 Opposition parties is now nick-named which met yesterday, will now emerge stronger. The BSP and SP which did not participate yesterday in the G-21 conclave, will work out modalities.

The presence of Aam Admi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal was a clear signal that Congress president Rahul Gandhi has shed his inhibitions of working with the Delhi Chief Minister. The G-21's sole aim is to defeat the BJP during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls as PM Modi is no more invincible.

The outcome is attributed to the defeat of the idea of Demonetization and hap-hazard manner in which the GST was implemented by the Modi government. Similarly, the Modi government will also have to look towards rural distress with a new prism.

The BJP's analysis is that the Ram Temple issue did help the party to prevent further slide in Madhya Pradesh though another section differs and maintains that Modi should have stuck to the Development agenda. The religious polarisation is not a big vote catcher.

The spate of lynchings may have pleased the hardcore Hindutva types, but it cannot swing the voter angry with the government, as was seen in Rajasthan. The Yogi Adityanath brand of spreading hate failed miserably in all the three states where he campaigned in a big way.

The opposition parties must have taken note of these developments and swifty calculations must be going on about positioning and tactics for the 2019 elections. The show of unity two days before the results, where almost all opposition leaders, including Mamata Bannerjee and Arvind Kejriwal showed up but Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati did not, is a precursor of the times to come.

Praful Patel, senior NCP leader and Rajya Sabha MP told Lokmat today that this victory will give a big fillip to the Opposition unity and new chapter will be written.

Ends 

More Dalit Lok Sabha MPs upset with BJP leadership

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

More Dalit Lok Sabha MPs upset with BJP leadership

Dissidence rising in Haryana, UP, Bihar Rajasthan, Delhi   

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Dec. 9

After Savitri Bai Phule,  a Lok Sabha MP from UP who quit the BJP, a number of other BJP MPs are contemplating to raise a banner of revolt. Encouraged by example set in by the first time MP who was a staunch BJP loyalist,  these MPs are also on course to raise their dissatisfaction against the party. It transpires that majority of these MPs belong to the Scheduled Caste community who feel completely orphaned  as neither the Centre and nor the BJP ruled Chief Ministers listen to their grievances. They feel that Dalits have been the worst sufferers in the BJP dispensation in states and the Centre.

These MPs have started meeting in groups lately and telling their supporters that they would have to chart out their own course in future. While film-star turn politician Shatrughan Sinha and Kirti Azad are known dissidents, Dharamvir of Haryana has also joined the ranks. At least five Dalit MPs belonging to UP have told the high command that they won’t stay in the party if their community’s oppression continued.  A dalit MP from Delhi has already voiced his concern at a party forum recently saying that he would be left with no alternative but to quit the party. No one in the meeting even pacified him.

A Union Minister from Haryana is already holding parleys to float his own party while the other Haryana Minister is peeved that his services were not utilized in the recently held assembly polls. He is being treated as an outcast and politically undermined.

A BJP MP from Madhya Pradesh who is part of this exercise told Lokmat on the condition of anonymity that discontent is simmering in the party in a big way. Irrespective of the outcome of the Assembly polls, a number of MPs will “start talking” and no more be subservient to the high command.

Some of these MPs are aware that they will not get the tickets during the May 2019 Lok Sabha polls as the high command had already indicated that 50 sitting MPs will lose their tickets. Though the 75-year cut off date formula may not be applied strictly, but at least 15 of the oldies will be rested by the party.

These sources say that number of dissidents may swell if the BJP loses all the three major Hindi speaking states on December 11.

Ends

Alarmed Govt ask agencies to probe illegal ‘phone-tapping’ by CBI

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Special report

Alarmed Govt ask agencies to probe illegal ‘phone-tapping’ by CBI

Alok Verma case hearing in SC tomorrow  

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Dec 4

Disturbed by reports that illegal “phone-tapping” was the norm rather than exception, the government has asked the intelligence agencies to probe into matter and submit a report at the earliest.

It emerged during an internal probe undertaken by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and also by startling allegations made by CBI's own DIG in his petition before that Supreme Court that phone-tapping had been unleashed in the country's premier investigation agency. It touched its worst during the infighting between now exiled CBI director Alok Verma and his deputy Rakesh Asthana.

It may be mentioned that the CBI has its own mechanism to tap the telephones in cases of urgency and it takes post-fecto approval. The government is keen to find out if the infighting led to the free use of this facility granted to the CBI to tap the telephones of criminals nd individuals involved in the corruption.

It emerged that the CBI officials tapped the mobile and landline phones of their own officers, affiliates and several private individuals including politicians without taking prior permission of the Union Home Secretary.

The government is worried about the consequences of the “illegal phone tapping” saga in the event of CBI director himself going “rogue”. In fact, this is the plea that the government is virtually taking in the supreme court against Alok Verma. It is arguing that the Almighty CBI Director had turned rogue and refusing to even answer queries from the CVC or any other authority. He was tapping telephones at will and misusing his authority.

The case will come up for a hearing in the Supreme Court tomorrow. What looked like a simple case of government misuse of its authority in sending Alok Verma on forced leave, the whole thing has turned murkier and the Supreme Court is also struggling hard to deliver justice in the case. The CJI's comment that the CVC's report is uncomplimentary in some cases, goes against Alok Verma.

But what made government more worried was the disclosure in CBI DIG Manish Kumar Sinha who gave details of phone tapping. It clearly emerged that calls of officials and individuals are being tapped without required permission. In some cases, the identity of the person concern was kept hidden though it was known that whose phone is being tapped. This was done largely because if the name or the identity of the person was revealed, the technical surveillance unit would have raised objection.

So much so that the telephone of CBI's own Special Director Rakesh Asthana and RAW official were tapped without taking prior permission.   The Supreme Court is also struggling to find a way out to deal with the case of Manish Kumar Sinha,CBI's DIG and handed over the case to Fali S Nariman to guide the court.

This shows the complexity of the murky affairs in the CBI's case. It may be mentioned that the SC will go on vacation from December 14 and reopen on January 2.

Ends