Indo-China Ice melting !
There are whispers in the corridors of powers that backroom talks with China may result in some sort of settlement of the border issues. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar could meet his Chinese counterpart Qin Gang in Capetown, South Africa on the sidelines of the BRICS foreign ministers' conclave on June 1, in what would be their third meeting so far in 2023. India has been insisting for peace and tranquility along the LAC before expanding ties in other areas. Jaishankar is hopeful that a solution could emerge within the next few months though he was hesitant to hazard a guess when he met a handful of journalists during an informal chat. But a subtle shift in government attitude towards the Chinese companies in respect of issuing visas to Chinese technical manpower is being resolved. The Ministry of Commerce reportedly is raising exporters’ requests for granting visas to Chinese engineers and technicians who are required in India for setting up factories or machinery with the External Affairs Ministry. The government has given preliminary clearance to 14 out of 17 Chinese suppliers of Apple to form joint ventures with Indian companies. The move is aimed at expanding the local value chain in iPhone and electronics manufacturing. There are reports that PM Modi may get a shot in his arm before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as China may do the unthinkable i.e. retreating to original areas on the LAC.
Politics over Murder Mystery
After blowing cold for several years, the CBI is suddenly blowing a hot whistle. It has found a political trail behind the murder of sitting Lok Sabha MP YS Vivekanada Reddy on March 15, 2019. The CBI has some traces of this murder with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Y S Jaganmohan Reddy. Vivekananda Reddy was his uncle and the then Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu set up an SIT of state Police to probe the murder while Jagan Mohan Reddy demanded a CBI probe. The scenario changed within a few months when Jagan became the Chief Minister. Instead of handing over the case to the CBI, he decided to set up SIT of State Police to probe the murder. On March 11, 2020 the high court decided to send the case to the CBI. Strangely, the CBI moved at a snail's pace due to the political climate. After nearly three years, the CBI claims to have found that one of the four assailants of Vivekananda Reddy was present in the dead of night at the residence of YSR-CP Lok Sabha MP from Kadappa Y S Avinash Reddy. It was found that a whatsapp call was made to Jagan Mohan Reddy about the murder of his uncle by the Kadappa MP before informing the Police. How come the four assailants were present in the house of Kadapa MP and why the call was made to Jagan Reddy. Though the evidence is very thin, it is enough to give sleepless nights to Jagan Mohan Reddy as CBI wants custodial interrogation of Kadapa MP to unearth the murder mystery. One of the reasons behind the YSR-Congress members bailing out the Modi government in Parliament is attributed to this mysterious murder. A decision by the Telangana high court is expected anytime permitting the CBI to interrogate the Kadappa MP in custody. The BJP's dilemma in Andhra Pradesh is that it was politically wiped out in 2019 Lok Sabha polls getting a big zero out of 25 Lok Sabha seats. It doesn't know whether to tie up with YSR-Congress or Chandrababu Naidu's TDP. Political analysts say that the CBI' blow hot and blow cold stems out of this dilemma.
BJP’s massive media outreach
With the Lok Sabha polls less than one year away, the BJP has launched a massive media outreach of an unprecedented scale. This outreach began in the national capital where many such interactions are being held over lunches & dinners. The BJP president, J P Nadda and a battery of Union Ministers including Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, S Jaishankar, Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal, Ashwini Vaishnav and many others chatted with journos in free-wheeling discussions. A power-point presentation was also made to list Modi's nine year of achievements. Such interactions are also being held in all the state capitals and prominent cities. All Central ministers have been deputed to travel to these cities and hold press conferences during the next one month. However, it is still a mystery whether PM Modi himself will meet senior journalists in groups or otherwise. Prior to the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Modi had attended at least three dinner meetings with senior editors in batches at the residence of late Arun Jaitley. But Modi is unlikely to hold such interactions at least in the near future.
Shivraj Chouhan may survive
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan seems to have got a breather from the party high command. Chouhan has been under a cloud ever since all internal surveys revealed that the BJP may have to lick the dust in Assembly polls due later this year. Though Chouhan had lost in the 2018 assembly polls. But Chouhan bounced back with Jyotiraditya Scindia defecting to the BJP along with sizable MLAs. It transpires that the high command is unable to find a suitable successor to Chouhan capable of improving the party's prospects. It is felt that Chouhan may continue to lead irrespective of political consequences.
