The BJP high command continues to be
worried about retaining Maharashtra even after installing the Eknath Shinde-led
coalition government. The BJP’s prime objective is to break the backbone of Uddhav
Thackeray-led Shiv Sena. Union Home Minister Amit Shah minced no words to make
BJP’s intention clear when he visited Mumbai recently. He roared that Uddhav remained
enemy number one. Surprisingly, Uddhav opted to maintain studied silence. The BJP is aware that the ensuing BMC election
will be the first major test of newly formed government. At least two internal surveys in Mumbai conducted by the BJP are not encouraging. It
is in this background that the BJP is working on various permutations and
combinations to pass the BMC hurdle. One suggestion under consideration right
now is that MNS leader Raj Thackeray be made part of the coalition. The formula
is that MNS and Eknath Shinde factions be merged into one entity and Raj
Thackeray be given a key role. Shinde and Raj Thackeray visited each other’s
residences for Ganesh pooja indicating growing bon-homie. While Shinde will
continue to lead the government, Raj Thackeray may be made its head. Raj
Thackeray is crowd puller and an orator par excellence and can galvanize Sena
cadre. Raj Thackeray’s son may be brought in as MLC and minister while Shinde’s
son be inducted in the Union ministry at a later date. In the event of this
proposal not succeeding, BJP-Shinde-MNS can come to a workable understanding to
fight the BMC polls together. The BJP is aware of political consequences of any
adverse outcome of BMC elections. The
first proposal has many hurdles and needs fine-tuning. It transpires that
Eknath Shinde may visit the national Capital to discuss various options.
Rising graph of Vinod
Tawade
Maharashtra’s
senior BJP leader Vinod Tawade was once a serious contender for the Chief
Minister’s post in 2014. But he missed the bus and Devendra Fadnavis was handed
over the command of the BJP-Sena government. Tawde had to remain content as a
minister in the coalition government. The worst came in 2019 when he was denied
a party ticket at the last moment and forced to cool his heels outside.
But he never lost his patience and maintained a low profile. It took the
high command one year to bring him to Delhi and make BJP’s secretary. One more
year went by and he was promoted as General Secretary in November 2021. This
was a big promotion which raised many eyebrows. The central leadership assigned
the role of Chief coordinator to Tawde to elicit support for President Droupadi
Murmu. He along with five other Chief coordinators traveled extensively to seek
support for Murmu. He made his mark as incharge of Haryana and was rewarded
with the most crucial state of Bihar. Along with Tawde, two other leaders
belonging to Maharashtra also got party work indicating that the western state
continues to be BJP’s big challenge. If Prakash Javadekar was given the charge
of Kerala, Pankaja Munde made Sah-prabhari of Madhya Pradesh. These steps
are part of BJP’s larger plans aimed at winning the BMC polls.
The
BJP high command wants leaders to close ranks and recent changes are part of
this exercise. Secondly, Tawde’s rise may not lead to his return to state
politics either. Devendra Fadnavis will continue to be the party's face in
Maharashtra and play the role of a pivot. The party high command also wants to
improve the BJP-Shiv Sena (Shinde)-MNS tally to 44 seats in the 2024 Lok
Sabha polls. The BJP-Sena (Uddhav) had secured 42 Lok Sabha seats in 2019.
Ex- CBI
chief fight for pension
Former
CBI chief Alok Verma is engaged in a bitter battle with the Department of
Personnel & Training (DOPT) under the Prime Minister post retirement
benefits. The government withheld pension & perks citing his refusal to
join as DG, Fires Services after his removal as Director, CBI. Verma was
appointed for a two year tenure as CBI chief. But he had a bitter battle with
his special director Rakesh Asthana. The government removed both of them from
the CBI after the High Powered Committee’s recommendation headed by the Central
Vigilance Commission. Verma refused to join the new posting; DG, Fire Services.
The government retaliated and 'forfeited his service' benefits. Verma is
arguing that the tenure of CBI Director’s post tenure is fixed for two
years. Once he was removed, he could not have joined as DG, Fire Services as he
had retired in July 2017. The DG Fire Service is not a designated post for two
year. But no one is listening and he has been running from pillar to post for
his pension for more than four years. But no luck.
