EC goes by the wind!
The Election Commission moved with great alacrity in the Shiv Sena symbol dispute and pronounced its judgement in less than a year. The Shinde faction revolted in June last year with 40-odd MLAs of the Shiv Sena and staked claim to be the real Shiv Sena. The Election Commission froze the symbol (Bow & Arrow) and allotted two different symbols to both the factions temporarily. The EC moved rather fast and by February it declared Eknath Shinde led Shiv Sena as the real party and allotted him the original symbol. The decision came within 8 months of the split which is a record of sorts in recent history. Political observers wonder as to why the EC is sitting pretty in the case of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) headed by late Ram Vilas Paswan. After his death, his brother Pashupati Paras Kumar walked away with 5 out of six Lok Sabha MPs and claimed that he is the real LJP in June 2021. However, Chirag Paswan, a son of late Ram Vilas Paswan and Lok Sabha MP, claimed that he is the real inheritor of the Paswan's legacy and staked his claim on the symbol. The EC froze its symbol and allotted two different symbols to the two factions. Strangely enough, both the factions owe their allegiance to the NDA and praise PM Modi for his leadership. Pashupati Paras Kumar is a Cabinet Minister while Chirag Paswan is waiting to reap the harvest whenever the next reshuffle takes place. But there are no answers as to why the EC is not deciding the case even as two years have gone by after the split in 2021.
All is well now
The bitter battle leading to a public spat between the Judiciary and the executive seems to be heading towards a tuce. If reports emanating from the highest court in India on Tilak Marg and Modi Establishment in South Block are any indication, the two vital pillars of democracy have reached an informal understanding. Barring small pinpricks and occasional statements in public domain, both sides have decided to call it a day. Sources say that an informal understanding has been reached between the two. It transpires that the Chief Justice of India led collegium will take into account the sentiments and suggestions made by the government in respect of appointments, transfers and posting of the judges of the high courts and Supreme Court. A close look at the seven new appointments at the Supreme Court in a span of one month will show that views of the Modi government have also been taken into consideration. It created a history of sorts as the highest court is functional with its full strength of 34. This is a rare feat for the SC under CJI D Y Chandrachud. All seven appointments were cleared by the government within a month. Union Law Minister Kiran Rijiju thinks he has achieved a feat of sorts during his tenure.
Tail of a Rahul Loyalist
Rahul Gandhi may be running the party even after demitting office of Congress president through his loyalists like K C Venugopal, Randeep Surjewala and many others. But some of his close loyalists are having the taste of master craftsmen Mallikarjun Kharge. The "elected" Congress president, Kharge can't be rated as 100% subservient to the powers that be. Ajay Maken, a close loyalist of Rahul Gandhi, is having the taste of Kharge regime in the party. He resigned as general secretary incharge of Rajasthan after having a bitter tiff with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. Without losing a moment, Kharge accepted his resignation and gave him no work. Ajay Maken is now sulking as he has no work even in states which are going to polls. On the other hand, Kharge has rewarded Randeep Surjewala as general secretary incharge of poll-bound Karnataka. Surjewala has taken a house on rent in Bengaluru and is camping there permanently. It's Kharge's home state and stakes are high for him too. Maken is eyeing the post of Election Strategy department that the AICC is planning to set up for the 2024 polls.
A third extension
The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) plays a major role in the stock market and is capable of deciding which way the markets should move. The government seems to be very happy with the current chairman M R Kumar and giving him one extension after the other. The government had appointed Kumar in 2019 as the LIC chief and he was to be at the post till June 30, 2021. The first extension was given to him from July 2021 to March 2022 and this was followed by a second one to March 2023. Reports are emerging that Kumar may get another extension for a period of six months as the process of selecting the new chairman has not set in as yet. The Centre is likely to invite applications for the position of LIC chairman and until the process is complete Kumar may continue to hold the post. No one is sure in North Block as to what prevented the government from starting the selection process early. Maybe, Kumar is “Kaam Ka Aadmi hai."
