Fadnavis' trial balloon
The ruling BJP's face in Maharashtra and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is a master craftsman also. Recently, he fired a political balloon merely to test the waters and said that seat-sharing with the allies for the Lok Sabha elections has been clinched and the BJP will contest 26 seats out of 48. Obviously, the remaining 22 seats will go to the Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP. But all hell broke when allies signaled that no such decision had been taken. It was also claimed that no such discussion took place either. Sensing the mood, Fadnavis tried to calm down the tempers. But the fact remains that the NDA partners had reached an understanding that seats of all sitting Lok Sabha Mps of the alliance will go to the respective parties. The BJP had secured 23 seats in 2019 Lok Sabha polls and one by its support to an Independent candidate. The other two NDA factions will contest 11 seats each on the basis of this formula. But their public comments may have put the issue in cold storage. But the BJP is determined to contest 26 seats in 2024.
Film stars to be fielded by the BJP
The Lok Sabha polls may be 6 months away. But the BJP leadership is busy selecting winnable candidates along with elections in five states. Reports emanating from the BJP headquarters suggest that it is looking for new faces from the film industry to be fielded in the Lok Sabha polls. Hema Malini has already crossed the age bar limit of 75 years, she may not be fielded from Mathura this time. Sunny Deol has also conveyed his unwillingness to contest and the BJP has to find a new face in Gurdaspur. The BJP is already facing a tough challenge in Punjab without an ally and searching for a new face. Similarly, Kiran Kher has not been keeping well for the past some time and the BJP will need a new face in Chandigarh. The names of popular Hindi cine stars Akshay Kumar, Kangana Ranaut and Madhuri Dixit are being mentioned in this regard. Akshay Kumar has been close to the Prime Minister Modi and even became an anchor to take an interview of the PM before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. It is said that he may be fielded from Delhi's Chandni Chowk seat. Kangana Ranaut has already expressed her desire to enter politics and may be pitched from the Mandi Lok Sabha seat against Congress' Pratibha Singh. Madhuri Dixit may also be fielded from either Mumbai North or Mathura. Three Bhojpuri actors; Manoj Tiwari, Ravi Kishan and Dinesh Lal Yadav are already BJP MPs in addition to Locket Chatterjee (West Bengal) and Suman Lata, a Kannada film Star(Karnataka). The BJP wants some film stars from the South as well. Cricket star Virendra Sehwag's name is also doing the rounds to contest for Lok Sabha from Haryana.
Old Guards flexing Muscles !
The BJP leadership is facing a tough time as old guards in the party are reluctant to concede space. For them, Karnataka's powerful Lingayat leader B S Yediyurappa is a role model. The way BSY succeeded in ensuring that his son BY Vijayendra is installed as BJP president in Karnataka, has inspired leaders like Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Vasundhararaje Scindia and others in many states. Some of the senior leaders, including the BJP national general-secretary (organisation), BL Santhosh, Union minister Prahlad Joshi and others skipped the event where Vijayendra assumed charge, sending a signal that the gulf is widening in states. BSY also ensured that his loyalist R.Ashoka was installed as Leader of Opposition in the Assembly. But not many are happy with the alliance clinched with H D Deve Gowda of the Janata Dal (S). However, it was conveyed to BSY that this alliance is only for the Lok Sabha polls and he should not worry too much. Insiders in the BJP say that many of the senior leaders, particularly those dropped from the Union Cabinet two years ago, are eagerly awaiting the results of the Assembly polls in five states. If the BJP does not fare well in these polls, the high command may face difficulties and may be forced to placate them to contain growing uneasiness.
Nitish gone into a shell
After his controversial speeches in the State Assembly and Legislative Council last month linking how women are asserting their right to contain population growth, Nitish Kumar was forced to tender an apology. Since then he has virtually gone into a shell. Even his staunch loyalists in the party and outside are wondering what has gone wrong with a shrewd leader like him. Bihar is abuzz with bizarre tales concerning how an absent-minded Nitish Kumar, went to the house of a Cabinet Minister twice for a cup of tea. He sipped the brew and went away only to return after some time asking for the tea again. Many say his style and manner has undergone a sea change and sudden outbursts over the past sometimes have risen. Once a darling of the media, Nitish Kumar has stopped inviting journalists to his Janata Durbars and other important functions and that his office no longer provides information about his daily schedule. Recently, he indicated to waiting journalists to go away with folded hands and bending forward thrice. A senior JD (U) leader said Nitish will speak only after the results of five assembly polls are out. His decision on OBC Census has already put the BJP on the back foot. It is clear that the OBC Census issue is catching up fast and PM Modi will have to find a way to deal with it.
