Uddhav’s MPs are at a
crossroad
With fire-brand leader Sanjay Raut
in judicial custody, thanks tof the Enforcement Directorate, the
Uddhav Sena MPs virtually went into a silent mode in Parliament. Be it Lok
Sabha where it has seven MPs and in Rajya Sabha with two, no one is around to
keep the pot boiling. Even on the debate of price rise in Rajya Sabha, none of
the MPs belonging to the Uddhav faction spoke. Priyanka Chaturvedi, another
fire-brand MP, preferred to skip her participation. "What to say
when our leader is in jail!" She was heard telling a fellow
parliamentarian. The MPs in Lok Sabha didn't know what to do. Arvind
Sawant and Vinayak Raut were unwell and couldn’t even vote in the Vice
Presidential poll for Margret Alva. Others watched the proceedings sitting on
the back benches thinking something may be cooking between the two Sena
factions. Gone are the days these MPs were roaring with each passing day in
Parliament and outside. Even the participation of Sena MPs during the Question
Hour lacked biting spirit. Insiders say that the uncertainty will continue
until the Supreme Court decides the battle between the two Senas. The
status quo in deciding the petitions will harm the Uddhav faction more than the
Eknath Shinde group.Uddhav’s another dilemma is fighting for the Hindutva turf
while staying put with the Congress & NCP.
Abhishek Banerjee on top
If one person is happy with the
raids by the Enforcement Directorate on Mamata Banerjee’s most powerful
minister Partha Chatterjee, he is Abhishek Banerjee. The TMC’s Lok Sabha MP and
Mamata’s nephew had been pleading with the Chief Minister to drop Partha since
2016 as he was making side money, selling party tickets. Mamata didn’t listen
and went on to arm Partha Chatterjee with more power to balance the rising
clout of Abhishek Banerjee in the TMC. As a protest, Abhishek Banerjee
did not attend the swearing-in-ceremony when Partha Chatterjee was inducted
again into the ministry in 2016 and also in 2021. With the ED seizing massive
cash haul and benami properties in raids, Mamata was left high and dry. Though
Abhishek and his wife are also under the ED scanner. But they have got
protection from the court. In the case of Partha Chatterjee, it’s a Sun set.
Now Mamata has nobody else but to fall back upon Abhishek Banerjee. He
may be a beneficiary by default. But West Bengal will witness a new political
script as Mamata is on the back foot. She stayed in Delhi at Abhishek’s
residence during her long visit as visibly worried. What if Partha Chatterjee
may spill the beans as to whom the crores of cash actually belonged to.
Partha’s aide Arpita Mukherjee is already singing before her interrogators.
Nitish eyes Delhi Now
Finally, Nitish Kumar
has bitten the bait and went back to his foe Lalu Prasad Yadav who is more than
willing to support him. The contours of the deal are interesting; Nitish Kumar
will travel across North Indian states and launch a campaign against the BJP.
Nitish Kumar is an astute politician and chooses his time to strike as the
Opposition parties were desperately looking for a face to counter the BJP in
2024 Lok Sabha polls. Since Rahul Gandhi has failed to deliver, Sharad
Pawar is aging and Mamata Banerjee has gone back into her shell after the
massive cash haul, Nitish Kumar has jumped ship. Nitish Kumar may be a
leader of the Kurmis and do not have backing of the other backward
classes. But he may now emerge as a rallying point as was witnessed in the
early 90s. Nitish commands an honest leader’s image and no corruption charges
have been leveled against him by any party. He is articulate, fluent in Hindi
and with other like-minded parties backing him, he stands a chance to put up a
fight during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The BJP may not have a
cakewalk, if things go as per plans.
The Rakesh Asthana riddle
The Rakesh Asthana riddle continues
to baffle the bureaucracy in the NaMo administration. The 1984 cadre IPS
officer of the Gujarat cadre is considered to be a blue-eyed boy of the
government and was all set to take over after Alok Verma’s retirement. But he
missed the bus again and Maharashtra's Subodh Kumar Jaiswal was chosen by the
selection committee. Asthana moved to the BSF as DG and four days before his
retirement, made Delhi’s Police Commissioner for a period of one year on
July 28, 2021. It transpires that the proposal in the Union Home Ministry was
kept ready for his further extension. But in the nick of time, Asthana’s
successor was appointed to the shock and disbelief of many. It is baffling that
when every favourite officer is getting an extension after extension in the
government, how come Man-Friday Asthana was made to retire. There are many who
believe that he may get a political posting soon.
