PM's strict Covid protocol
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been
following strict Covid protocol for the past almost three years. The PMO
continued its tough instance even when all restrictions were withdrawn after
the third wave waned. All visitors who call on the PM including Chief
Ministers, Cabinet Ministers and other visitors have to undergo Covid tests.
Whenever there is a Cabinet meeting held physically, Ministers have to undergo
Covid test before entering the meeting room. There is a drill in this regard
which has to be followed by all. At least two Cabinet Ministers were found to be
Covid positive on two different occasions when they were about to meet the PM.
Recently, Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had an appointment
with PM Modi after he was elected. When he reached the PMO to call on Modi, he
was asked to undergo Covid test and was found to be infected. He went back and
quarantined himself. It is largely because of this very reason that the PM
prefers to hold meetings and inaugurates many projects virtually. With the
threat from Covid emerging again due to the advent of new viruses, the PMO has
tightened Covid rules further.
Rahul's self goals
Rahul
Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ may have galvanized the Congress in states. It may
have also succeeded in changing public perception about him to a certain
extent. But his foot-in-the-mouth disease continues unabated. Nearly two
decades into public life, Rahul Gandhi’s choice of words during public
discourse, whenever he speaks in Hindi, continues to hurt him and the party as
well. The other day, while addressing a rally during the course of his Yatra,
he said that regional parties have no national vision. This was despite the
fact that the Congress is in alliance with a number of regional parties in
states; DMK in Tamil Nadu, JMM in Jharkhand, RJD & JD (U) in Bihar, Shiv
Sena in Maharashtra and in other states. He did not even clarify his stand
either. A few days later, he wrote personal letters to leaders of 15 political
parties inviting them to join his yatra in Delhi on December 24 or wherever
possible. He gave details of states he will cover en-route to Srinagar. The DMK
was extremely upset with him. Yet DMK leader Kanimouzi and an MP of Shiv Sena
showed up. The Congress leaders were frantically telephoning senior leaderships
but to no avail. It is unlikely that BSP will send a representative. It is yet
to be seen who all will show up when he resumes his Yatra on January 3, 2023.
The TMC, AAP and other Opposition parties who joined hands with
the Congress at the initiative of Mallikarjun Kharge in Parliament
were nowhere to be seen with Rahul Gandhi. Rahul’s speeches at some
of the rallies have also caused anxiety among those who want to support him.
Recently, he gave a classic analogy saying his rallies are symbols of love and
affections. It could be seen even when “dogs, pigs, cows and other animals came
in the way. But nobody treated them with hate or anger” leaving the audience in
pits.
National role for new Chanakya!
There are signs that
Gujarat BJP Chief and Lok Sabha MP C R Paatil may be given a key role at the
national level. Paatil, a little known politician maintains a low profile
though he was incharge of PM Modi's Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency since 2014.
With the Prime Minister showering praises on him after BJP broke all records in
the recently concluding Gujarat Assembly polls, it was widely speculated that
Paatil may be new party chief in place of J P Nadda. But reports emanating from
BJP headquarters suggest that Nadda will continue in his post until 2024 Lok
Sabha polls. However, Paatil may be given a key role as an election strategist
for key states other than Gujarat. The BJP has identified 170 vulnerable Lok
Sabha seats in 2024.
OPS, Modi's new
headache
Prime Minister Modi
has a new headache in hand; growing demand in states for revival of the
Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for government employees which was discontinued in
2004 and New Pension Scheme (NPS) was brought in. Modi is strongly opposed to
the revival of OPS. When the BJP's Himachal unit wanted to include the OPS in
its manifesto, the proposal was shot down. One of the major reasons for BJP's
defeat in HP Assembly polls is that government employees voted for the
Congress. Now the BJP leadership is in a dilemma as to what it should do in
nine states which are set to go to polls during 2023. Rajasthan Chief Minister
Ashok Gehlot has already announced bringing OPS and given a number of doles as
the state will go to polls next year end. Gehlot's next master stroke was
giving a gas cylinder refill for Rs 500 from April 2023. There are more than 60
lakh beneficiaries under the Ujjawala scheme. But a majority of them had
stopped taking refills as its cost was too high. Will the BJP come out with a
matching relief package like in providing foodgrains? No one knows what's
cooking in the PMO.
