by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group
Cabinet reshuffle round the corner !
BJP's senior general secretary Ram Madhav may have missed the Rajya Sabha bus. But the speed with which the party gave him charge of Andhra Pradesh is an indication that BJP is working on a counter-offensive in the state. It transpires that Andhra BJP Chief K Haribabu may be brought in the Union Cabinet to represent the state as it has no representation after the exit of the TDP. There is also a proposal to bring in D Pruandhareswari, daughter of late N T Rama Rao who had joined the BJP long back. Since she was against Chandra Babu Naidu she failed to grow in the BJP. But her stars are shining now with the BJP parting company with the TDP. The party also brought in GVL Narasimha Rao into the Rajya Sabha who hails from Andhra. Party insiders say that the Cabinet reshuffle will take place after the Karnataka Assembly polls and some grass root leaders may be brought in the Cabinet in the wake of mounting pressure from certain states. A large number of ministers have been holding dual charge and since Lok Sabha polls are only a year away, Cabinet expansion has to take place for political balancing.
How Yogi was put in his place
It has now emerged that UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was denied the privilege of choosing a candidate of his choice from Gorakhpur lok Sabha seat. There is no denying the fact that last minute unity between the two arch rivals – SP & BSP- had surprised the BJP and situation was uncomfortable. Yogi wanted the party high command to give ticket a person of his choice. Instead, the high command sought three names from him. The Yogi sent the names but insisted that his first preference be accommodated. But to his surprise, state incharge of BJP Sunil Bansal recommended the name of Upendra Dutt Shukla. It transpires that same thing happened in Phulpur where Sunil Bansal vetoed the recommendation of Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya. Insiders in the BJP say that the party's defeat served two political purposes; first being that Yogi who was flying high, has been grounded. “A person who cannot retain his own home constituency, how can he be brought in to the Parliamentary Board?” said a senior functionary. The BJP's parliamentary board has one vacancy after the elevation of M Venkiah Naidu as Vice President.
Jaitley's tough conditions delay Kejri apology
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is making frantic efforts to persuade Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to accept his unconditional apology and close the defamation case. It transpires that AAP's newly elected Rajya Sabha MP N D Gupta who is a noted chartered accountant, has held several meetings with Jaitley to sort out the problem. But Jaitley is in no mood as arguments in the trial court had been completed and judgment is awaited. Secondly, Jaitley is reported to have put some stiff conditions such as that Kejriwal should apologise from the same public platform which was used to make allegations against him and his daughter. Jaitley doesn't want merely written apology but a public apology on TV channels and at a public meeting. Jaitey is no Nitin Gadkari or Punjab Akali Dal leader Majithia who accepted Kejriwal's apology meekly. The last word on Jaitley-Kejri saga is yet to be written.
What's cooking between Rahul & Sharad Pawar ?
Congress president Rahul Gandhi is batting on the front foot and calling on party leaders seeking their cooperation. If sources are to be believed, he has spoken to most of the Opposition leaders over the phone including Mamata Banerjee, Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav, Sharad Yadav, Sitaram Yechury and others. But he held long parleys with Sharad Pawar seeking his cooperation and understand shape of things to come. It is clear that Congress-NCP will contest the Lok Sabha polls together and Pawar gave an in-principle approval for the same in Maharashtra. Both the parties will revert to the same seat-sharing arrangement that existed between the two parties before they parties company in 2014. The Chief Minister will be from the Congress party while NCP will have the post of Deputy Chief Minister in the event of alliance winning the state. The contours of alliance will be decided at a later date. But Rahul wanted Pawar to prevent division of Opposition votes in the states and expressed Congress willingness to make sacrifices.
No UPA type front in the offing
Sonia Gandhi may be holding parleys with the Opposition leaders over dinners. There may also be a talk that Sonia Gandhi may form a front of like-minded parties on the pattern of United Progressive Alliance (UPA). But Rahul Gandhi is in no hurry to create such a front. Rahul Gandhi feels that no such front is needed at this juncture and Opposition parties should work quietly. Secondly, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is working over-time to create a third front and speaking to regional satraps. While Sharad Pawar sees the light once again at the end of the tunnel in 2019 polls in the emergence of a third front. But having burnt his fingers in the past, he is sitting pretty and trying to expand NCP's base outside Maharashtra. For him, Maharashtra is the key and other states are a bonus. But Mamata Banerjee is banking on Pawar to create a third front as Mulayam Singh Yadav has been pushed into the background by his son who is busy in stitching alliance with Mayawati in UP. Akhilesh Yadav has signaled that Congress cannot be given more than 8-10 Lok Sabha seat in any seat-sharing arrangement for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The RLD may get 2-3 Lok Sabha seats while one seat may be spared for Sharad Yadav.
Two hour delay caused a flutter in HRD ministry
No one was in doubt that all the sitting eight Union Ministers will be re-nominated to the Rajya Sabha. But things didn't happen as contemplated. When general secretary incharge of BJP's Parliamentary Board and Union health Minister J P Nadda issued a press release at 9 pm, it contained the names of only seven ministers re-nominated to the Rajya Sabha. The name of savvy HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar was missing from the official press release. All hell broke and frantic calls were made to inquire about the fate of Javadekar. There was no response as to who will dare ask the PM or the BJP president Amit Shah. However, within two hours, second press release was issued announcing the name of Javadekar from Maharashtra. He was told that the party delayed the announcement as it was in the process of deciding whether he should be sent to UP or his home state of Maharashtra. However, the two hour gap was enough to cause a political flutter.
