Centre may give jabs to 12-17 years soon

12 crore children need to be vaccinated now

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

After achieving the target of giving 100 crore doses by month-end to adults, the Centre is set to announce its plans to vaccinate children in the age group of 12-17 years.

Of the 44 crore children population of all age groups below 18 years, the priority will be given to the 12-17 years category first.

When contacted, Prof N K Arora, Chairman of country’s top body, INSOCOG and Covid Task Force told Lokmat that the priority would be given to this age group as they could be carriers of Covid infections. Though the Sero-Surveys had established that the number of children infected with Covid is not higher than that of the adults. But they needed the vaccine now that most of the adult population had been covered with the first dose.

When asked when the decision would be taken in this regard, Prof Arora said, “It should come anytime now.”

In response to another question, he said, the vaccination of children in this category could start within the next couple of months. “In children as it is, severe disease and fatalities are uncommon. So, we have to ensure parents are safe first and children automatically become less vulnerable,” he added.

Arora added that children with comorbid conditions will be given priority in vaccination and even among them priority will be given to those who tend to have co-morbidities.

It is learnt that one percent children have co-morbidities out of the 12 crore children and the government had estimated that roughly 40 lakh such children will be given preference. The Jabs to them may start as early as October and may be free of cost. India’s drug regulator granted emergency use authorisation to Zydus Cadila’s vaccine, ZyCov-D, on August 20. This is India’s first vaccine for children aged above 12.

PM outlines 5-fold plan to fight Covid surge

• 
  Central Teams for Maharashtra, Punjab & Chhattisgarh
• PM extremely concerned about Maharashtra
• Penal action against defaulters, tough steps

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

New Delhi, April 4

The PM today suggested a 5-fold strategy to contain the alarming rise in Covid cases in the country.

Two presentations were made before the Prime Minister on Covid and Vaccination at the high-level meeting as India jumped to number one slot in the world in Coronavirus cases witnessing a severe second wave. The PM advocated a five-fold strategy of Testing, Tracing, Treatment, Covid-appropriate behaviour (CPB) and Vaccination. The PM was particularly upset as 10 states contributed to more than 91% of cases and deaths due to COVID. Maharashtra contributed 57% of total cases and 47% deaths in the country in the last 14 days and Punjab and Chhattisgarh witnessed high numbers of cases. The Central teams will be sent to these three states.

The PM summoned the meeting immediately after Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba held discussions yesterday with the Chief Secretaries of the states.The PM’s meeting was attended by Principal Secretary P K Mishra, various secretaries to departments, NITI Aayog members and others.

The Cabinet Secretary briefed the Prime Minister about the outcome of his meeting with the Chief Secretaries of the states yesterday.

Short of lockdowns, the Centre wants states to impose penalties on defaulters in a big way in public places, restricting travel through public transport, setting up containment zones and restricting movements in markets, fair, melas, social and religious congregations that could become super spreader events. The Centre is upset that states are not vaccinating enough as total vaccination crossed 7.60 crores in 78 days averaging 9.80 lakhs vaccines a day. The PM highlighted the need to ensure effective implementation of containment measures, besides the involvement of community volunteers in active case search and management of containment zones. A special campaign for Covid appropriate behaviour with emphasis on 100% mask usage, personal hygiene and sanitation at public places /workplaces and health facilities will be organised from 6th April to 14 April 2021.

Boris Johnson’s Pune, Mumbai trip in jeopardy

British PM is to visit two cities April end 

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat 

New Delhi, April 2

Maharashtra's alarming Covid-19 situation and high positivist rate of more than 14% has put British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's visit to Pune & Mumbai in jeopardy.

Johnson is slated to visit New Delhi sometime on April 26-27 and as part of his itinerary was contemplating visiting Pune, Mumbai etc.

Johnson is eager to visit Pune which is the world's largest vaccine manufacture facility, Serum Institute of India (SII). SII has been producing Oxford Astrazeneca's vaccine Covishield, which has been exported to many countries from there. British officials are struggling to take a call on Pune visit and in touch with Indian counterparts.

This is the second time the British Prime Minister is contemplating visiting India. He was to be country's Chief Guest during the Republic Day celebrations on January 26. But Britain was hit hard by another Covid wave and lockdown was declared forcing cancellation of his trip.

The April trip was finalised when the situation started improving in the UK and it looked as if the second wave won't hit India. However, Maharashtra is among the worst hit among eight states. As if this was enough, Pune and Mumbai top the list of districts in highest reported cases. A night Curfew has been imposed in Pune from today and the situation continues to be alarming in Mumbai too.

The cases have risen at a rapid speed in Maharashtra from 15000 or so on March 15 and have trebled in less in 17 days. Though the state tops the country in terms of vaccination.

UK as the chair of the G7 grouping has invited India for the meeting of the grouping in June. Indian PM Modi will be traveling to the country for the summit, which could see its first in-person quad meeting as well. Both sides are also working on a trade deal.

Covaxin Vaccine cleared for Emergency Use today

Govt. to buy Both --Covidshield or Covaxin 

Covidshield & Covaxin

Regulators to clear both vaccins soon

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

New Delhi, Jan 2

With the Emergency approval granted to Covaxin, jointly produced by Bharat Biotech-Indian Council of Medical Research late in the evening today, India has got another shot in its arm.

Covaxin is the country's 100% indigenous vaccine while Covidshield of Seerum Institute, Pune-Astrozeneca, UK was approved yesterday by the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) yesterday. The SEC cleared the Covaxin today. 

However, the formal approval of both the vaccines by the drug regulator Central Drug Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) is yet to be granted.

While Seerum Institute has said that it already has stock-piled 40-50 million doses which it can supply to the Government of India by March this year itself, the authorities have not reacted to the proposal so far. In fact, the government has not signed any contract with the Seerum for the supply of Covidshield so far.

Neither Dr V K Paul who is head of the Prime Minister's Task Force on Vaccine management nor the Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said anything so far as to which vaccine will be injected/inoculated to the 3 crore frontline health workers and other related categories. 

Whether the government will buy the Covidshield or Covaxin or a combination of both the vaccines for the Emergency usage, is still being worked out. 

For three crore frontline workers, India will need 60 million doses as every person has to be given two doses. As per the estimates, these three crore priority workers can be covered during the next four-five months. There is a strong possibility that the government may now involve the private sector in the entire vaccination drive. 

If the other population is also to be vaccinated at the earliest, the government will take a decision at the highest level. 

Secondly, the CDSCO and DCGI have yet to approve Covidshield and Covaxin. Once these medical bodies clear these vaccines for usage, various government institutions including the ministries of Health and others will take up follow-up action and allocate funds accordingly.

Sources say that the government will start the process around Makar Sankranti day on January 14 or so.

Fly on the Wall - Modi subtle goal-post shift

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Modi subtle goal-post shift

If you thought PM Modi will hang his boots and hand-over reins of power once he turns 75 years to a successor, you may be in for some surprises. Reason being that Modi has subtly shifted his goal-post from 2022 to 2029. An indication of changing goal-post came at a virtual function last week which largely went unreported wherein he said that a lot of work has been done during the past six and half years. But for India’s growth and development next nine years are very important. Modi had said on several occasions in the past that by 2022 when India celebrates its 75th anniversary of Independence, farmers' income will be doubled and all will have pakka houses, education for all and many more tall promises. In fact, when he came to power in 2014, he had promised that farmers income will be doubled within the next five years. But later, he shifted it to 2022. Now he is talking that the next nine years are crucial for India’s development. Two things clearly emerge from his statement; one that he will be around until 2029 and secondly, he is working hard to win the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Though many of his lieutenants like Amit Shah have said that the BJP will rule India for the next 50 years. But Modi had always refrained from making such tall claims.

Focus on the Bungalow now!

After losing Rajya Sabha seat for his mother Reena Paswan, the LJP chief is working hard to retain ministerial bungalow at Janpath. The 12 Janpath Road Bungalow was allotted to Ram Vilas Paswan when he became a Minister in the V P Singh government and continued since then. His son, Chirag Paswan who is a two term Lok Sabha MP is not entitled to type VIII bungalow. After Paswan’s death, the bungalow has fallen under the "general category". With no Cabinet berth round the corner for Chirag, he may have to vacate the bungalow unless the Cabinet Committee on Accommodation allows him to retain it. One will have to watch out what happens to this “Hanuman” of Prime Minister Modi. His hopes rest on BJP Chief J P Nadda who said recently, “At the Centre, the matter is different. But in Bihar, this is what it is.” Nadda was asked whether Chirag is part of NDA or not. The vague reply given has raised hopes for Chirag.

What went wrong with Ahmed Patel

The sudden demise of Ahmed Patel has left a void in the Congress at a juncture when the party needed him most. It is not as if he didn’t see ups and downs. He suffered a setback when Ambica Soni became the political secretary to Sonia Gandhi replacing him. It’s a different matter that he was back at the center- stage soon. When Rahul took over as party chief, Patel was subtly sidelined again as the scion of the Gandhi family wanted his own team. However, Sonia Gandhi was wise enough and retained him as her chief political adviser until his death. It’s a different matter that Rahul Gandhi also found virtues in him later and he was back in the political game. It, however, remains a mystery as to why he chose to travel all the way to Faridabad’s Metro Hospital in October for treatment when he was first tested positive of Covid. No doubt, he had been regular at Metro whenever he fell ill. Later, he shifted to Apollo hospital and finally brought to Medanta in Gurugram. Three hospitals in two months did not prove lucky to him.

A promoted with demotion

It's strange that Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha got a demotion while he was promoted as new Chief Information Commissioner. He was holding the rank of the Supreme Court judge as Information Commissioner. But the moment he was promoted as CIC, he was demoted to the rank of a Cabinet Secretary. He will lose salary and pension. Interestingly, his four old colleagues will hold SC judge rank while three new colleagues will be in the rank of secretary. A dichotomy created by the amendment to the RTI Act in 2018!

India cautious in buying Russian Vaccine

PM Task Force on Covid Vaccine to meet again

Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

New Delhi, Aug 13

The Prime Minister’s high-powered Task Force on Vaccine headed by Dr V K Paul will be formulating its strategy to obtain the Russian vaccine to fight Covid pandemic.

The multi-member committee which met for several hours yesterday has not only to submit its report to the Prime Minister about the efficacy of the Russian Sputnik-V but also in how much quantity and what should be the funding mechanism.

The Task Force has to take a crucial decision about whether to procure several other Covid Vaccine candidates being manufactured in various parts of the world.

The Indian government has not assigned any fund for the research & development for Covid vaccines. Five vaccines are in the advanced stage of producing it including three Western and two Chinese. These all are in Phase 3 efficacy trials involving thousands of people.

Oxford University, working with the Swedish-British pharmaceutical group AstraZeneca, hopes to have results by September, while the US biotech company Moderna, partnering with the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), is aiming for the end of the year, possibly November.

The Trump administration has spent nearly $ 10 billion to seven vaccine developers and signed manufacturing contracts with five of them to provide nearly one billion doses.

Japan is also negotiating with three suppliers and Britain is also signing deals with such manufacturers.

But India is banking on its own Convaxin being jointly produced by Bharat Biotech-ICMR and Zydus which are still in phase-I and Phase-II trials. The Task Force has to urgently take a view on Russian vaccine as it’s a friendly country. The presence of the secretary of the ministry of external affairs in the meeting indicates that India will try to obtain the Russian vaccine. The modalities are being worked out, these sources say.

PM Task Force Scouts for Covid Vaccine as Russia set to hit the market

Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

New Delhi, Aug 10

India is scouting on a war footing basis to obtain Covid vaccine as many leading global companies have gone into phase 3 trials. The Russian University has signaled to register its wonder drug early next week and go into mass production.

The Prime Minister’s Task Force on Vaccine procurement & management headed by Dr V K Paul is keeping a close watch on vaccines being tested by global players like Oxford, Cansino and Pfizer which have gone into phase-3 trials. With Indian vaccine trials still at an early stage, the PM’s Task Force is exploring alternative sources to procure vaccines from global sources.

According to WHO at least 165 vaccines for Coronavirus were being developed and 23 of them are in human trials including two drugs being tested in India. These drugs are still a far cry. 

Official sources, however, concede that India will have some difficulty as it has not made advance payments or invested in research & development of vaccines in any global company like many rich nations.

These sources insist “some grants have been made available from the department of biotechnology.” But these are meager amounts.

The Task Force is banking on the Bill Gates Milinda Foundation and also on Covax (Covid-19 Vaccine Global Access) in which some Indian companies and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have partnered. It is expected that this alliance (Gavi) will supply vaccines to low- and medium-income countries. The WHO’s Somumya Swaminathan has been on record that countries could go in for bilateral deals and it is for them to take the risk.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) recently said in an official statement that the Covid vaccine be Made available to the health workers first. But a lot of efforts will be needed as demand for the covid vaccine will be huge as and when it hits the market.

At least one manufacturer of the vaccine in India told Lokmat on the condition of anonymity said that the government had not initiated any discussion with it on procurement of vaccines. India has the capability to produce two billion doses of vaccine.

ICMR sets Aug 15 deadline for Covid Vaccine - AIIMS says Phase-I trials not over yet

“Covaxin initial results encouraging”, Dr Sanjay Rai AIIMS Principal Vaccine Investigator

Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

New Delhi, Aug. 9

PM Narendra Modi may have cut short bureaucratic delays to fast-track Coronavirus Vaccine trials in India. But the wonder drug will continue to elude as trials and may take longer than the August 15 deadline set by Indian Council of Medical Research.

It is authoritatively learnt that the Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin vaccine trials that began at the prestigious AIIMS and 11 other facilities across India last month, has not even completed Phase-I stage. The ICMR has partnered with the Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech to invent and manufacture vaccine.

Zydus Cadila’s ZyCov-D has was also been given permission for phase-I & II human clinical trials at its own facilities.

The ICMR raised the hopes when its director Dr Balram Bhargawa told reporters last week that phase-I and Phase-II trials for Covaxin drug would be completed before August 15.

But Dr Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS clarified, “We are rushing trials for the vaccine and clubbed phase-I & II trials. The human clinical trials will follow all safety norms.”

When contacted, Dr Sanjay Rai, Principal Investigator, AIIMS who is coordinating the Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin trials, told Lokmat this morning, “We have completed the Phase-I trials results which are very encouraging. There was no reaction to the drug. We gave single dose to Vaccine warriors and now double dose will be given to them to test its efficacy.”

In reply to a question, Dr Rai said phase-II trials will begin only after results of double dose are out in the next 10-15 days.

When asked why reports have been surfacing that the wonder drug will be out shortly, Dr Sanjay Rai said, “The government clubbed the phase-I & II clearances only. This was to cut delays and not aimed at compromising safety norms.”

Currently, trials of three vaccines including the one produced by the Oxford University & Seerum Institute, Pune are under way. Experts say that no Covid vaccine is likely to make it before the year-end.

India touches 2 crore Covid Test mark

• Maharashtra doubles testing in July, UP Triples.
• Delhi tops in per million population tests, Bihar refuses to test more

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

New Delhi, Aug. 1

India is set to touch two crores Covid testing mark ever since testing began in March this year. In a new record, more than one crores tests were conducted in the month of July itself according to data accessed from official sources. 

Of the two crores tests, five states alone- Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, UP, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan – accounted for one crore tests. Maharashtra doubled its daily testing from 25182 tests on July 1 to 58192 tests on July 30. It also doubled its monthly testing from 9.95 lakh tests on July 1 to 20.21 lakhs on July 30. Similarly, India’s testing also doubled during July – from 2.18 lakh tests to 5.25 lakh tests yesterday. The Prime Minister has set a target of crossing 10 lakh tests per day on the back of ramping up testing capacity in the country.

However, it’s the national Capital of Delhi where the highest number of tests were conducted among per million people. It tested 50000 per million people while Maharashtra’s averaged 16,408 tests only. Maharashtra has one solace i.e. it is higher than the national average of 13181 tests per million. (see the table)

Till the end of June, testing was lacklustre across Maharashtra as different departments were involved in testing. But now all kinds of testing was brought under one department and it paid rich dividends, said a source in the state government. 

The data clearly showed that UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath set a record as the state is at number two in the country and its positivity rate is lowest with 3.6% only. Surprisingly, UP had conducted 7 lakh tests on July 1. But it tripled within one month to 21.20 lakh tests which is a record.

Compared with Bihar’s 'Sushashan Babu' as Nitish Kumar is known where 5 lakh tests have been conducted so far with a positivity rate of 9.1%. Its per million population test is the lowest in the country with 4160 tests. Sources in the Union Health Ministry say that low testing is despite repeated pleas by the PM and other agencies. 

Official sources say that with fatality rate down to 2.20% in the country and the virus is not deadly either, there is a hope that India will see Coronavirus peak sometime in September-October.

India Covid tests touch 75 lakh tests, Highest 2.15 lakh tests in a single day

* Number of positive cases rose to 6.2%

* Telangana jumps to 3^rd slot after Maharashtra, Delhi

* 1000 laboratories testing in India

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

New Delhi, June 24

India achieved a new milestone in Covid-19 tests when it crossed two lakh tests a day. Until 9 this morning, more than 2.15 lakhs tests were conducted in a single day. The total number of tests in the country till date was 73.52 lakhs and set to cross 75 lakh tests mark by tonight. It is also heartening that the total number of laboratories in the country undertaking three type of tests rose to 1000 (730 government & 230 private) which is another record.

However, the data alarmingly revealed rising number of Covid-19 cases across India touching an all time high of 4.56 lakhs. The number of positive cases was 1.90 lakhs as on June 1 this year. But it more than doubled in merely 24 days. The percentage of cases (tests to positivity) also rose 4.96% to 6.2% during this period.

Data accessed by Lokmat from official sources revealed that positivity rate continues to soar by the day in Maharashtra  and Delhi with Telangana taking the third slot in the country.  (See the table)

Interestingly, Tamil Nadu is at the top in testing with 9.44 lakh tests and its positivity rate is less than Maharashtra (17.7%) and Delhi (16.6%).

On June 15, Maharashtra’s positivity rate was 15.9% and it conducted 6.59 lakh tests. Thus in less than 10 days it rose by 2% which is a sign of worry. Similarly, Delhi’s positivity rate was 14.2% on June 15. But it rose by 2.4% which is highest in term of percentage term.

The new state rapidly rising in positive cases is Telangana where positivity rate is 15.1%. It was no where on the scene on the map as it was not testing enough. However, within ten days of rapidly testing, it gained number 3 slot in the country.

Interestingly, UP and Maharashtra have highest number of laboratories with 110  and 105 respectively.

When Modi debunked “Gau Mutra” theory to fight Corona, Tells Mps to follow PMO

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

When Modi debunked “Gau Mutra” theory to fight Corona, Tells Mps to follow PMO

Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually debunked the the theory propounded by some Swamis and Saffron bakhts that Gau Mutra can cure the coronavirus. While giving a pep talk to the BJP parliamentarians, he told them to strictly refrain from tweeting whatever comes their way on the pandemic. He was angry that many Mps had been tweeting on how to fight the global disease and giving their own recipe (read Gau Mutra here) to cure it. He advised them they must follow the tweets decimated by the Union Health Ministry in this regard and by social media handle of the PMO. The PM was peeved that many people are propounding their own recipe and MPs are blindly recommending them. The PM had earlier directed the Aayush Ministry to withdraw from its website various recommendations to fight Corona Virus. The PM did so when it was brought to his notice that the Aayush has recommended some "desi" formula to fight the Virus and the Union Health Ministry strongly objected to it. Interestingly, the PM did not include the Aayush minister Sripad Naik in the Group of Ministers on Corona Virus. In order to apprise the MPs of the magnitude of the Coronavirus and how the India government and various agencies are fighting its spread, the PM specially organised a presentation by the Union Health Minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan for them. Dr Harsh Vardhan who is a renowned doctor himself made a 30-minute long presentation with slides and figures to say that Covid-19 is being fought on a war footing basis. He said that India is fully geared up to fight the menace but its spread must be contained and states have taken steps in this regard. The PM was extremely upset that the Mps themselves are not aware of the impending crisis developing around the world and taking the challenge in their stride. Instead, they should move in smaller groups, while spreading awareness about the disease. He said, “the period until April 15 is very crucial and they should refrain from organising any mass movement until then.”

Centre contemplating stringent steps to fight Corona

The government will start taking stringent measures if the Corona Virus outbreak deteriorates moving up to Stage-3 i.e. social transmission. PM Modi, who reviewed the situation with a select group of ministers observed that next two weeks were very crucial and no let up can be allowed.  Accordingly, the Group of Ministers on Corona has drawn up a contingency plan which includes partial lock-down to full lock down as being practiced in various countries. The PM unfolded steps at his address to the Nation after holding video conference with the Chief Ministers on Thursday. 

While the central government staff has already been ordered to work at 50% of the capacity, the commissions, institutions, boards and other bodies may be asked to resort to 2-3 days a week to begin in the first phase. The Indian Institute of Media Communication (IIMC) under the I&B ministry has already been told to work for two days a week only. The objective of the this exercise is bring down the number of people using buses, metro and other public transport. What has caused more worry to the government is the non-cooperative attitude of the people in fighting the menace from spreading. The Minister for Civil Aviation and Urban Affairs Hardeep Puri is understood to have told the Group of Ministers on Corona that currently about two lakh people are traveling in airlines on a daily basis and the number is coming down daily. The people are unwilling to undergo Covid-19 tests, avoid being quarantined and dodge the system. He explained that as many as 45 lakh people are traveling in the metros compared to 65 lakhs last week on a daily basis in Delhi. The number of travelers in buses is 40 lakhs. “How do we check such a large population for Corona? We want to contain its spread to reaching social transmission levels and devising strategies,” he is reported to have said. The 6-member GoM on Corona Virus is headed by Union health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan and meets twice a day. It then briefs the PMO after obtaining the reports from across the country and states and keeping the lock-down plan ready if the situation so desires. The Prime Minister is personally monitoring the situation on an hourly basis and reported to have set up a monitoring unit on Corona in his office itself. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has recommended that an immediate lock down be imposed , at least in the metros.

The untold story of Scindia Coup

The BJP leadership took more than six months to decide about the entry of senior Congress leader Jyotiradtiya Scindia into the fold. It is too well known that the state leaders of Madhya Pradesh BJP were opposed to his entry citing his arrogance and not much. His fate was sealed particularly after his defeat from Guna in May 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Scindia, an astute politician realised that if he had to win back Guna next time, he has to be in the BJP. Thus he started cultivating his old time friend and ex-banker. While Scindia worked in Morgan Stanley, Syed Jafar Islam worked in Deutsche Bank. The latter had also quit the banking and started working for the BJP while Scindia joined the Congress. But both were friends. But almost 18 years later, Jafar Islam became the first point of contact with the BJP and Scindia won’t trust anybody for his scheme.

This is how Jafar Islam emerged as the key link for bringing in Scindia. It was Jafar who first broached the subject with the then BJP president and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in this regard. But Amit Shah was cool though both friends remained in constant touch meeting over food at various hotels in Lutyens’ Delhi. Later, a media house baron also joined the efforts and things started taking shape. Amit Shah being an astute politician wanted that Scindia should bring his MLAson board and make them quit so that BJP gets a state government dislodging  Kamal Nath. The talks were continuing until it seems PM Modi gave the go-ahead to the plan. It on the Holi day on March 10 when the BJP decided to clinch the deal and Jafar Islam was told to bring Scindia to Gujrat Bhawan. Scindia left his Delhi home in Anand Lok in the morning and drove straight towards Gujrat Bhawan. Amit Shah left his house at 6 Krishna Menon Marg and reached there. Both sat down for a while to discuss the nitty gritting and then Scindia sat in Amit Shah’s car and both drove towards PM’s residence an hour later. Though Scindia  was to go to Gwalior to mark his late father’s 75th birth anniversary. But he opted for 7 Lok Kalyan Margh where the road for his Kalyan began in the BJP. It was a win-win for all. Zafar Islam accompanied Shah and both of them were dropped back at Gujarat Bhawan. Congress leaders assert it came as no surprise to them as they knew all along what’s cooking.

How Hooda pipped Congress & BJP too

It was an astute Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Leader of the Congress Legislature Party in Haryana who not only pipped the BJP but also his own party leaders in ensuring the unanimous election of his son Deepender Singh Hooda for the Rajya Sabha seat. The veteran Congress leader knew that Selja, president of the Haryana Congress is a front runner for the Rajya Sabha seat as she was a sitting RS MP. Considering her closeness to Sonia Gandhi, she was obviously confident that she will get the ticket. Randeep Singh Surjewala was also in the reckoning if situation so permitted. Until then, Deepender Singh Hooda was nowhere in the reckoning. But Hooda told Selja in private conversations that she herself will have to ensure the support of at least 14 Congress MLAs as his own 17 MLAs will fully back her. Selja clearly told him that she cannot manage such a situation as it would need humongous task including finances if the BJP also fields an extra candidate. Once she was out of the race, though reluctantly, there was hardly anyone in the reckoning as Selja was disinclined to support Surjewala for obvious reasons. Once Selja expressed her inability, the Congress high command (read Rahul Gandhi) which was opposed to Hooda left with no choice but to succumb. The party was already in disray in Madhya Pradesh where government was tattering. Thus, the high command cleared the name of Deepender Singh Hooda on March 12 night- just 12 hours before thee nominations were to close. For the BJP, it was different challenge as four Independents supporting the Khattar government sang a different tune. They said they support the government but vote for Deepender Singh Hooda in Rajya Sabha. Thus, Hooda pipped both- the Congress and the BJP.  

BJP on poaching mission in 3 states

Of the 17 states where biennial polls are being held for 56 seats, the BJP, is on the prowl in three states to win three extra seats. Though the BJP was to win 14 seats only and this would have taken its strength in the Rajya Sabha to 84 i.e. one extra seats only. But it resorted to a sudden massive poaching game to snatch at least three extra seats from the Congress. Not only in Gujrat and Madhya Pradesh, it also fielded an extra candidate in Rajasthan too. It was only hoping to get an extra seat in Madhya Pradesh due to the defection of 22 Congress MLAs who quit the party and camping at Bengaluru. But now its eyeing an extra seat in Gujrat and Rajasthan too. In Rajasthan, the BJP was expected to get only one seat out of three. But now its eyeing two seats hoping to deprive the Congress its second seat.

Insiders say that the situation is quite favourable to BJP in Gujrat as five Congress MLAs quit in a sudden move and their resignations have been accepted by the Speaker swiftly. But in Rajasthan, it is an Herculean task where BJP has deputed several senior leaders to spring a surprise. The Congress leadership is putting up a united picture in Rajasthan compared to Madhya Pradesh. But Rajasthan is worrying after the virtual fall of the MP. Interestingly, the BJP refrained from fielding an extra candidate in Maharashtra and Haryana and even in Bihar. Sources say in Maharashtra, the BJP went by the book and fielded only three candidates which it will win. It refrained for indulging in poaching game there as it knew that they will have to deal with the past-master Sharad Pawar and create more complications for the party. Secondly, the BJP leadership did not want to rub the Uddhav Thackeray government on the wrong side. Similarly, In Bihar where its in power but did not try to break the RJD to win an extra seat. In Madhya Pradesh. the BJP hopes to win an extra seat. But in rest of the states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Meghalaya, West Bengal and Odisha and Chhattisgarh,  where BJP looked the other way due to lack of numbers. In  Himachal Pradesh and Manipur, its candidates will win without any difficulty.