Fly on the Wall
Modi halts Maldive port project
Prime Minister Modi has refused to be cowed down by anti-India rhetoric by the Maldivian government under its President Mohamed Muizzu who officially proposed that India withdraw its military presence before March 15. On the contrary, India has toughened its stand and decided to immediately halt the process of building a sea port in Maldive. As a gesture of good will, the Modi government had announced in 2020 that India will undertake several developmental projects in the Maldives, including a $ 500 million Greater Malé Connectivity Project (GMCP), billed as the largest ever infrastructure project in the country. India had promised to support implementation
of GMCP in Maldives through a financial package consisting of a grant of $100 million and a new Line of Credit of $400 million. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar signed the agreement in 2020 and tender was floated too.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone on May 3, 2023 which was the first visit of an Indian Defense Minister to the island nation in 11 years. But the bonhomie went for a toss after recent derogatory comments by Maldivian ministers targeting Modi. The Maldivian ministers mocked Modi over his recent visit to Lakshadweep. Though the Maldive President suspended the three ministers, no apology came. The relationship took a turn for the worst when President Muizzu, after concluding his five-day China visit, said that no country had the right to "bully" his country. In a tit-for-tat move, the Indian government has now decided to bring the port project to a halt, sending a clear signal that India cannot be cowed down. India has also decided to put on hold several other projects which were underway in Iceland.
Priyanka goes to USA, South clamours for her
With Rahul Gandhi on the 67-day long Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has quietly left for the USA on a private visit. Though she is a general secretary in the AICC, no specific task worth a salt has been given to her so far. It is widely rumoured that Priyanka Gandhi is seriously considering contesting from either Karnataka or Telangana as UP is a tricky state where the Congress will have to heavily depend upon either the BSP or SP or others. It is also felt that since Rahul Gandhi decided to contest from Wayanad in Kerala, the Congress won 15 out of 20 seats in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The Telangana Congress is very keen that Priyanka Gandhi should contest to improve the party's tally from two to at least ten. The Telangana Congress wants Priyanka to be fielded from Medak, which once elected Indira Gandhi in 1980.
Similarly, the Karnataka Congress is also lobbying to persuade the high command to shift Rahul Gandhi from Wayanad in Kerala to Chikmagalur or some other seat in north Karnataka or Priyanka Gandhi be allowed to contest from the state. Interestingly, the Karnataka Congress is also keen that a member of the Gandhi family be fielded from the state as it's a tough call to win seats due to the BJP-Deve Gowda alliance. If any of the members of the Gandhi family contests, he or she will be the third generation from the Nehru-Gandhi family to contest from the state. Indira Gandhi had resurrected her political career in 1978 by winning a by-election from Chikmagalur and Sonia Gandhi had also won the Bellary seat defeating Sushma Swaraj of the BJP in 1999.
Whiff of a Cabinet reshuffle!
Whispers in the corridors of power say that the BJP high command is busy evolving a plan to rehabilitate two former Chief Ministers; Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Vasundhararaje Scindia of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan respectively. It is felt that the two former CMs had shown grace and quietly accepted the high command's decision to bid adieu for the key post in their states. One view is that both be inducted in the Union Cabinet in order to strengthen the rank & file of the party. A couple of new allies, such as Shiv Sena (Shinde), NCP (Ajit), LJP (Ram Vilas), JD (S) and others to help the NDA in the Lok Sabha polls. Since the Kharmas (inauspicious period) is over, there is a view that minor reshuffle can be held though Lok Sabha polls are just a couple of months away. Union Home & Cooperative Minister Amit Shah had said at a public meeting that Shivraj Singh Chouhan will be given a big responsibility. Though he did not elaborate as induction in Cabinet is the prerogative of the PM, it is felt that Chouhan has more years in public life before he attains 75 years of cut-off age. The hopefuls are keeping their fingers crossed as no one has a clue of what's cooking in Modi's mind.
tailpiece: If in 2014, PM Modi's mantra was "Na Khaunga aur na khane doonga" (I will not allow any corruption in my regime), in 2019, there was a new mantra: Na sounga na sone doonga (Neither I will sleep nor allow you to sleep). I am Pradhan Sewak and you are also in public service. Therefore you too are expected to serve the people 24x7. Wait for the new one sermon in 2024!
