by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group
Is Javadekar Filling Jaitley Void ?
Harish Gupta
New Delhi, Sep 8
Information & Broadcasting and Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar seems to have emerged as the “point’s person” in the new Modi dispensation. Be it the briefing of the BJP or the Union Cabinet or the key announcement, its Prakash Javadekar all the way. Though Telecom & IT and Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Railway & Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, Petroleum & Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman have also been briefing the media from time to time for the past some time for party and the government.
But the way Prakash Javadekar was fielded to hold the press conference solo on the occasion of completion of successful 100 days of the Modi government left no one in doubt that he is the man to watch. Normally, press conferences on such occasions are held by senior ministers jointly. But Prakash Javadekar was given the sole responsibility to present the Modi 2.0's 100 days' report card creates an impression of his growing ratings in the Modi dispensation. Javadekar held the fort on a Sunday at a mega press conference at the National Media Center and impressed by his handling of tricky questions with calm and finesse.
The party has been struggling to find a replacement of late Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who was a catalyst, crisis manager and spokesman of the party & government par excellence. Ever since he fell sick in earlier this year and died last month, the void was being felt. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is now the crisis manager and catalyst. But the search was on for a spokesman of party & government. Nirmala Sitharaman impressed the leadership by her strident defence on the Rafale deal in Parliament and gained in stature. Ravi Shankar Prasad is a veteran party leader too and senior in order of Precedence. Both of them have been addressing crucial press briefings too. But the party leadership fielded Prakash Javadekar to address the press conference today indicates his rising clout as a spokesman as well.
