Fly on the Wall
Bitter chapter begins in NCP
Gone are the days when there was some shambles of bonhomie after estranged nephew Ajit Pawar walked away with 40-odd MLAs leaving NCP supremo Sharad Pawar high & dry. The NCP workers were utterly confused as Supriya Sule, Lok Sabha MP and daughter of Sharad Pawar made a statement that there is no split and it's all one family. Even senior Pawar sent some conciliatory gestures in public domain. Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar maintained a low profile and went along with the public posturing. But the days of niceties are over and it's clear that split in the NCP is a hard reality. Sharad Pawar will have to work hard to retain his legacy. Ajit Pawar is gearing up to take on his uncle and there is no going back. The days of bonhomie between the senior Pawar and PM Modi seem to be a thing of the past as was seen in the Central Hall of Parliament when Modi and Pawar came face to face on Tuesday last. Sharad Pawar may get a taste of his own medicine unless something drastic happens as split proceedings are bound to take place on October 6. Both the NCP factions are claiming to be the real party before the Election Commission and want to retain the symbol. Sharad Pawar has been an astute politician and became the youngest Chief Minister of Maharashtra by walking out with 40 MLAs in 1978 by forming a coalition of six parties including the saffron party. Ajit Pawar split the NCP headed by his uncle with the same number of MLAs and joined hands with the BJP 44 years later to become Deputy Chief Minister.
INDIA in search of a Dalit leader
INDIA may have cobbled together 28 parties to give the BJP a be-fitting lesson in 2024 Lok Sabha polls. It has a battery of prominent leaders like Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee, M K Stalin, Arvind Kejriwal, Sharad Pawar and others. But it is in desperate search of a Dalit leader who is worth a salt. Since BSP's Mayawati has been kept out of INDIA, the alliance is looking for a Dalit leader who can sway those voters in UP and a couple of other states. More than Akhilesh Yadav, it's the Congress Party which is keen to get those Dalit voters who went away 30 years ago to BSP. There is a move to project Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge as the party's Dalit face and field him for the Lok Sabha seat in UP.
With BSP chief Mayawati's charisma on the wane, the Congress is eyeing to fill the gap. Kharge can contest from both Karnataka and UP. Talks with the SP and other parties are also on in this regard as the Congress is contemplating to field Kharge from Etawah. It may help SP candidates in nearby constituencies too. There are prospects that Rahul Gandhi or Priyanka may contest from Amethi seat.
Wheels with wheel
Even as INDIA is crawling to emerge as a force to take on the mighty BJP in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, four parties have formed a ginger group within the alliance. It transpires that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Samajwadi leader Akhilesh Yadav and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar have formed a group of their own.
It transpires that this ginger group has been successful in torpedoing Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's dream of becoming a convener of the INDIA alliance. It was Nitish Kumar who had taken the lead a few months ago to bring the 28 parties together on one platform with the help and consent of the Congress. However, the Congress is now not pushing Nitish Kumar's case of making him the convener either. Perhaps, the Congress may take up all these contentious issues after the Assembly polls in five states. Nitish Kumar, lately has also taken a backseat and is sitting pretty in Patna.
When
Priyanka helped Sukhu
It has been more than three weeks since the President, Droupadi Murmu hosted a dinner for G-20 leaders. But it continues to remain in the news for one reason or the other. Seven Chief Ministers including Pinari Vijayan (Kerala-CPM), K Chandrashekhar Rao (Telangana-BRS), Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Singh Mann (AAP), Naveen Patnaik (Odisha, BJD) Bhupesh Baghel, Ashok Gehlot and Siddhramaiah (All Congress) did not attend the dinner. However, Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu of the Congress decided to travel to Delhi and attended the dinner. The other Congress Chief Ministers explained their own reasons for not attending the dinner. But Sukhu defied and this raised eyebrows in the high command. Was Sukhu cozying up to the BJP as he had heaped praises on BJP president J.P. Nadda and other Central ministers for their help to the state during the recent floods earlier. However, Sukhu told the Central leadership that he needed the Centre's massive help to rebuild Himachal after massive destruction during the floods and a boycott of official dinner would not be in the interest of the state. It is learnt that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra helped Sukhu to clear the confusion.
