Fly on the Wall
Social Media keeps Modi Ministers on Tenterhooks
Parents are worried all over the world about the growing habit among children glued to social media most of the time. Policy makers are debating how to curtail the growing influence of FaceBook, X, Instagram, Whatsapp and other vehicles. But Prime Minister Modi's Ministers and top leaders are making full use of these social media platforms to publicize government decisions and programs among the people. Every Union Minister is expected to immediately load his ministry's decisions on these platforms as early as possible. If any of the leaders of Opposition parties adversely comment on a government decision, the concerned minister is expected to react without delay. A battery of other BJP leaders are also deployed to denounce such adverse comments within a short time. In fact, no other party has made full use of these social media platforms. Every ministry and department has a battery of social media handlers who are battle ready 24X7 to assist. But all such tweets and posts are cleared at the highest level in the ministry and ministers are always at tenterhooks. The party's social media department works round the clock and keeps track of all such activities on these platforms. In fact, the communication channels between the party and the government have virtually been merged under the Modi dispensation. The BJP's head of media department Anil Baluni coordinates with ministers and party leaders to chalk out a common media reaction to situations as they arise round the clock. This strategy has rich dividends to the BJP. The greater task ahead is to evolve a synergy between the party and the BJP-ruled state governments also which is being implemented gradually.
Lord
Rama helping Modi?
Strange it may sound but seems to be true. A number of Modi followers believe that Lord Rama has blessed the Prime Minister ever since he undertook 'Pran Pratishtha' in Ayodhya on January 22. Before the Pran Pratishtha, it looked as if there was a tough battle between the BJP and the INDI Alliance parties for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The commentators were saying that the NDA will be lucky to retain 300 plus seats in the Lok Sabha polls. But Modi's fortunes turned after January 22. It seems that there is a divine blessing to the PM as one partner after the other started leaving the INDI Alliance.
The first setback came from Bihar when Chief Minister Nitish Kumar decided to dump the INDIA bloc in a dramatic development and went back to the BJP. As if this was not enough, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced her decision to go alone in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. She blamed Rahul Gandhi in particular for the mess. This development came despite a clear assessment of the Congress strategists that the CPM vote in West Bengal is not transferable to the Congress or to the TMC. If the Congress-TMC alliance takes place, the CPM vote will be split among the various groupings. The Muslims have already gone with the TMC in West Bengal. Even the Aam Aadmi Party walked out of the alliance with the Congress in Punjab though it is still offering one seat in Delhi in lieu of seats in Goa, Gujarat, Haryana and other states. Even in Jharkhand, it will be extremely difficult for the JMM-Congress-RJD to stay together as Chief Minister Champai Soren is a different fish in the cattle. No one is sure that former Chief Minister Hemant Soren will be able to hold his grip on the party. As if this was not enough, many senior leaders of the Congress in states have started quitting the party and the carnage is continuing. But Rahul Gandhi is not rattled and is on his own trip.
Retired Officers in demand
Gone are the days when retired top bureaucrats used to hanker for post-retirement benefits. A new trend has emerged when such retired bureaucrats and officers join boards of corporate sector companies either as Independent Directors or in other key positions. There is a battery of retired IAS, IRS & IPS officers who have joined the corporate sector. But one officer who joined Religare Enterprises Ltd turned heads as he waited for months for a key post retirement job. Rakesh Asthana is an IPS officer of 1984 batch of Gujarat cadre and was Delhi's Police Commissioner. But he got no post and opted to join a private sector company which is embroiled in many legal battles for its wrong doings. A former CBI director is also on the board of a private company. Rather, there is a demand for such seasoned officers who held key positions in CBI, ED, Income Tax and other such agencies in the past. The corporate sector needs them for their advice and assistance.
Mamata takes lead
Except for Mamata Banerjee's TMC, no other national or regional political party including BJP or Congress gave more than 33% seats to the women either in the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha. The BJP may take the credit that it passed the bill giving reservations to women in legislative assemblies and parliament last year. But hardly any party followed the law in spirit except the TMC of Mamata Banerjee. The TMC has been sending a maximum number of women in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha though its following is confined to West Bengal in electoral terms. The Congress has Sonia Gandhi at the helm for more than 25 years. But it sends fewer numbers of women in RS or Lok Sabha and the same goes for the BJP. However, once the law comes into force, the parties will be forced to nominate 33% women in the legislature.
