Fly on the Wall : Modi prods for NaMo App, MP s not worried

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group


Fly on the Wall for Friday publication 

Harish Gupta 

Modi prods for NaMo App, MP s not worried

Ever since Prime Minister Modi castigated his party Mps for not responding to his “Namaste” every morning, there is virtual panic among them. When Modi disclosed that of the 330 BJP Mps only five respond to his NaMo App daily. Top ministers present at the meeting were sheepish while others rushed to download the NaMo App so that they join the “Namaste” club. While the BJP opened a special counter at the parliamentary party office to enable the Mps to download the App, the Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha internet cell also went out of its way to help the Mps. Some of the Mps are using not one but three phones; one for people in their respective constituencies, the other for party leaders and third for private use. Secondly, they have at least ten What's App groups they have to deal with every minute. The Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha secretariats have one group for their Mps, the other is for BJP parliamentary party, the third is MPLAD, fourth is parliamentary party committees and so on and so forth. In addition, they also have to deal with the problems of family and constituents. As if this was not enough they also tell Modi ji and Amit Shah desperately as to what they have done in their constituencies, upload photos of their visits, update on PM's 20 welfare schemes etc etc. Majority of Mps are not well-versed in technology either and find it difficult to communicate. They cannot hire the services of a full time technical hand as their salaries and perks has not been enhanced. Some of the vocal BJP Lok Sabha MP s made it clear that they will not reply on NaMo App come what may. “If our performance is to be judged by whether we do Namaste every day, then we are better off without a ticket,” said at least five Lok Sabha MP s belonging to Haryana, Maharashtra and even Rajasthan. Surely, the PM may be getting better feedback. At least three ministers say that they don't use smart phones.

Mayawati plays pricey

BSP Chief Mayawati has signaled that she will neither contest in a byelection for the Phulpur Lok Sabha seat and nor seek re-nomination for the Rajya Sabha seat. The byelection for the Lok Sabha seat can be announced by the Election Commission anytime and biennial poll for Rajya Sabha is due this April. The Samajwadi Party and Congress have sent feelers to the BSP that “Behanji” contest a common Opposition candidate from the seat vacated by the BJP MP Keshav Prasad Maurya who resigned to become deputy Chief Minister. Mayawati has not responded but her party sources say that opposition unity cannot be a onetime affair. Secondly, she doesn't want to contest in a byelection. With regard to Rajya Sabha seat, Mayawati said she had quit the Rajya Sabha to fight for the Dalit rights and the battle has ended. She will keep away, say party sources. Perhaps, Mayawati is playing pricey. Mayawati has given any clue whether her party will support the Samajwadi Party in the Phulpur and Gorakhpur bye-polls.

New Solicitor-General ? Modi knows

The appointment of new Solicitor General has been hanging in the air for months after Ranjit Kumar quit the post months ago. Ranjit Kumar quit a couple of months after Attorney General Mukul Rohtagi quit without assigning any reasons. It is said both were uncomfortable and could have stayed on if persuaded. But finding successor to Ranjit Kumar has raised eyebrows in legal & political fraternity. After great difficulty the government was able to find new AG, K K Venugopal. But the new Solicitor General is nowhere in sight. It was speculated that Gujrat's Advocate General Kamal Trivedi be brought to Delhi. But the idea did not find favour with powers that be. Then the name of senior advocate Rakesh Trivedi cropped up. It is learnt that some of the senior advocates considered close to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley didn't find favour somewhere in the Law Ministry. The Law & IT Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad wouldn't say anything except that the new SG will be appointed shortly. There are a couple of vacancies for the post of Additional solicitor general as well. It now transpires that a section in the government favours promoting Tushar Mehta as the new Solicitor General. Mehta also hails from Gujrat and is ASG for almost three years now. It is said that the file pending somewhere in the Prime Minister's Office.

Rahul Gandhi to travel to West Asia

If Prime Minister Modi goes to Davos to address the plenary on January 24 to woo the global investors, Congress president Rahul Gandhi plans to travel to West Asian countries. It is learnt that he had finalized his plans to visit Dubai and Bahrain during the year-end. But he had to change his plans in view of delay in Parliament's Winter session dates. Secondly, he didn't want to give an elbow room to the BJP which always harps on his foreign visits. In fact, Rahul Gandhi is perfecting the art of Modi who garnered support from NRIs long before the announcement of Lok Sabha polls. This biggest constituency was never nursed by the Congress for the past 20 years by the Congress and even her mother Sonia Gandhi. He thinks its a barren land which was wisely cultivated by the BJP and its leader Modi. Realising the tremendous response that Rahul Gandhi received of his interaction at the Berkeley university back home in India, Rahul Gandhi has decided to target NRIs as a policy. Sam Pitroda is his foreign policy adviser and none in the foreign affairs cell of the AICC is aware of what's happening.

Fly on the Wall : Nitish Kumar gets a Bungalow in Delhi

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Fly on the Wall

Harish Gupta 

Nitish Kumar gets a Bungalow in Delhi

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had been struggling for long to have a bungalow at the Lutyen’s Delhi for almost a decade. Normally, Chief Ministers are given this privilege by the ruling parties at the Centre though there is no specific rule. Ever since the principle of giving bungalows to VIPs falling in the Z plus security has been dispensed with, the problem compounded. Nitish Kumar faced the problem for almost ten years as the UPA never allotted him a bungalow as he was an ally of the NDA. Though the state government repeatedly wrote to the Centre but to no avail. Unfortunately, when Modi came to power at the Centre, Nitish Kumar deserted the NDA targeting Modi. Thus, he was left high and dry again. But full 42 months later in the NDA regime, Nitish Kumar’s long wish of having a bungalow in Lutyen’s Delhi was fulfilled. The Urban Development Minister Hardeep Puri reportedly took the matter to the Cabinet Committee of Accommodation and the chairman Rajnath Singh consulted the Prime Minister informally in this regard. After a lot of confabulation, Nitish Kumar was given Type VIII ministerial bungalow in the Lutyen’s Zone last week. It was earlier occupied by his friend and former Solicitor General of India Ranjit Kumar who had spent tons of his personal money to re-do the entire house. It was also inspected by Hardeep Puri who informed Nitish Kumar that it is the best bungalow available at present. Nitish sent his consent and thanked the PM. 

Is Sharad Yadav political adviser to Rahul?

How Rahul Gandhi and the Congress Party changed its stance and agreed to share seats with almost all like-minded parties in Gujrat Assembly polls over-night has surprised party veterans. Talks had broken down with NCP and even the three young musketeers were talking in different tune. An upbeat Congress leadership was unwilling to give peanuts to these new groups. Sonia Gandhi’s key political adviser Ahmad Patel was rushed to AIIMS to undergo emergency heart treatment and things were going haywire. Though he went back in a short span. But it is learnt that something happened and everything was normal. It transpires that Rahul Gandhi had a rather long meeting with Sharad Yadav at his residence. What transpired between the two could be anybody’s guess. But Yadav is an old hand in caste-politics and explained to Rahul Gandhi how the party could never come back to power as it lost crucial caste alliances. The Congress must seize it and its time party should take everybody along. He told Rahul that his objective should be 2019 Lok Sabha polls as once Gujrat is clinched, the dissidents within BJP will grow. Sharad Yadav is also talking to AAP leaders though Congress is firm not to have any truck with it. Yadav wants AAP to field its candidates in such a way that the BJP suffers a set back. 

Why its Waterloo for BJP & Modi

It is no secret that the entire Cabinet has been deployed in poll bound state of Gujrat and the BJP headquarters has been airlifted to Gandhinagar. Amit Shah is claiming that there is nothing new as the BJP always contested polls in states like a war machine. But political pundits say stake are very high in Gujrat compared to any other Assembly poll. Dissidents like Varun Gandhi, Shatrughan Sinha, Kirti Azad, Shyamlal Gupta and a couple of other sitting Lok Sabha MPs  are waiting for the outcome of Gujrat results on December 18. Any adverse outcome may shake the current political fabric and alignments. Though the RSS will continue to bet on Modi despite differences on one issue or the other. But it is aware that Gujrat is the key for 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The BJP has more than 140 Lok Sabha MPs who came from nowhere in the party and given tickets in 2014. Any slide in Gujrat will shake the confidence of these fence sitters. Therefore, the entire focus of the BJP-RSS is to enhancethe BJP’s Gujrat tally of 117 out of 182. The Capital is agog with reports that some of the MPs who have fallen out with the leadership may look around for some political opportunity if there is any slide in BJP’s tally.

Watch out Milind Deora in Congress shake up

  

Milind Deora, former Lok Sabha MP and son of late Murli Deora is set to play a key role in the Team Rahul after he assumes the charge of Congress president. It has been decided that no major shake up will be undertaken in the organisation until the Budget session of Parliament due to pressing circumstances. It will rather be a slow process as immediately after the Gujrat & Himachal Pradesh, Parliament’s Winter session will set in and once the brief session is over, the party will face elections in three states of North East. Then, the Budget session will commence on January end and end early April. Therefore, those eyeing key positions will have to wait for some more time. But Milind Deora is the man to watch.

Kamal Trivedi is new SG?

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Kamal Trivedi new SG ?

Salve yet to respond to AG’s offer

Govt in a hurry to finalise Law officers early

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, June 13 

Even as suspense over the appointment of new Attorney General continues after Mukul Rohtagi expressed his desire to quit, the name of Kamal B Trivedi has emerged for the post of Solicitor General of India. Kamal Trivedi is currently advocate general of Gujrat and considered very close to Prime Miniser Narendra Modi. It was Modi who appointed him as Advocate General of Gujrat 11 years ago in 2006.

It is learnt that he has been sounded for the coveted post of SG. It is not immediately known if Trivedi is willing to come over to Delhi. For the post of Attorney General, leading lawyer Harish Salve is reported to have been sounded too. He was contacted in 2014 when Modi came to power. But he expressed his inability due to commitments in London. It is not immediately known if he is willing to return to India permanently. Sources say that in the event o him declining once again, Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar may be promoted as Attorney General of India.

The government is keen to finalise the appointments of law officers before Modi departs to the US.

Ends

Internal bickering led to quitting of Rohtagi

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Internal bickering led to quitting of Rohtagi

Salve in line of suucession

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, June 12

With Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi declining to continue in the post “until further orders” decks are cleared for a shake up in the government’s legal officers’ team.

It transpires that the proposal for extending the terms of AG Mukul Rohtagi, Solicitor-General of India Ranjit Kumar and eight other Additional Solicitor generals of India was mooted almost two months ago.

has written to the Narendra Modi government, saying he is not interested in the continuation of his tenure as the nation's senior law officer and wishes to get back to private practice. Normally, such decisions are taken well in advance rather than delaying until the last moment. But in the instant case, the file remained pending somewhere in the Law Ministry or the Prime Minister’s Office.

Without waiting for the government to take a decision, Rohtagi wrote to the government that he was not interested in continuing with the job and wants to return to private law practice. 

Rohatgi, 61, had been appointed for three years and his term was to expire on June 18, 2017. However, Prime Minister Modi, before embarking on a foreign tour, issued a general order saying that the term of all law officers is extended until further orders. It is said that this was the crux of the problem as self-respecting Rohtago felt that he can’t remain an atmosphere of uncertainty and decided to call it a day.  Sources in the law ministry said they were "not aware why the Attorney General is not keen to continue".

"I have worked for five years as law officer under the Vajpayee government and now three years under the Modi government," Rohtagi said in the state. "I want to return to my private practice. I have a good relationship with the government... That's why I wrote to the government not to extend my term," he added.

A word is yet to emerge in respect of Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar whose term had also been extended until further order.

Sources in the law ministry said the present team of law officers was considered close to Finance & defence minister Arun Jaitley. It is also felt that Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad was always uncomfortable with Rohtagi and even Ranjit Kumar. It is not known what will happen next because the entire government will now be stationed in Delhi for the next one week as various important decisions are to be taken in bureaucracy, law ministry and also Presidential elections.

Over the last three years, Rohatgi was handling the cases involving Aadhaar, judicial appointments for the government. His recent cases also involved the contentious triple talaq issue, the matter is being heard by a five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court.

The son of former Delhi High Court judge Justice Awadh Behari Rohatgi, he earlier represented the Gujarat government in the Supreme Court regarding the 2002 Gujarat riots, and cases involving Zahira Sheikh and the Best Bakery. There are reports that leading lawyer Harish Salve may now be brought in a AG and Tushar Mehta, an additional solicitor general of India may be promoted.

Harish Salve may replace Rohtagi

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Special report

Speculation over new Attorney General

Harish Salve may replace Rohtagi

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, May 27,

If Prime Minister Narendra Modi has to select the candidate for the President’s and Vice President’s post during the next fortnight, he also has a difficult task of decide as to who will be the next Attorney General and other law officers.

The tenure of AG Mukul Rohtagi, Solicitor-General of India Ranjit Kumar and dozen other ASGs is ending in June. There is strong speculation that noted lawyer Harish Salve may be brought in as AG in place of Rohtagi and Tushar Mehta, Additional Solicitor General may be promoted as SG. Tushar Mehta is considered close to BJP president Amit Shah and a Gujrati. IN any case, Ranjit Kumar wants to return to active practice once again after three years of stint in the government. He was sounded out to be elevated to the Supreme Court as a judge considering his seniority in the profession. But he is reported to have declined. Thereafter, L Nageshwar Rao, an Additional Solicitor General was elevated to the SC bench.

It may be mentioned that Harish Salve was sounded out by the Modi government in May 2014 itself. But Salve had prior commitments in London then in a series of arbitration cases and he sought excuse. Recently, he appeared for India at the international court of justice and made a mark. But Mukul Rahtagi has extremely impressed the Prime Minister during these three years by his legal acumen and argumentative skills in the Supreme Court. He is considered an upfront and aggressive legal luminary. But Modi has not taken a call on yet on the issue and the suspense continue.

Modi also has to take a call in concultation with the Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on appointing some of the new ASGs also . ASG Parminder Singh Patwalia has already quit and another ASG Neeraj Kishan Kaul has conveyed his desire to relinquish the charge.