Fly on the wall
Why Gadkari Most popular among Mps
Irrespective of speculations triggered by Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari disclosing that a leading Opposition leader had contacted him to be their Prime Ministerial choice, he is extremely popular among MPs of all hues. His ministerial chamber in the new Parliament House building is the most-crowded place. Why ? Because his chamber is like an open house and any MP can just walk in. Most Cabinet ministers have been allotted rooms in the new building while MoS are given in the old building. But Gadkari's room has been the center of attention. He is always smiling and tries his best to help whosoever comes his way. The MPs of various parties go to him for laying roads in their constituencies and if possible get the same included in the list of national highways. Gadkari's only request to these MPs is that their state governments must acquire land for laying roads at a faster pace.
He told them that it is now a policy that unless the land is acquired, the Centre won't block its funds for years together. Gadkari pointed out that as many as 697 ongoing National Highway projects started since 1st April 2014, have spilled beyond their original completion schedule. This has also resulted in heavy financial burden on projects costing various agencies including contracts to the tune of over Rs 2 lakh crores cumulatively. It may also be noted that Gadkari's warm ties with UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had already garnered a lot of attention within the BJP although this meeting was to review national highway projects in UP.
Modi lowered Guards for bureaucrats
PM Modi's first message to the bureaucrats when he held a marathon meeting with secretaries after being elected third time in a row was that they should refrain from flooding the PMO with everything. The secretaries should take care of issues at their own level. It is a different matter that no secretary will take such a chance and often call the PMO whether the file be sent or not. Since Modi realized immediately after being elected as PM that he will be running a coalition government and partners may not like to seek approval for everything from the PMO. After the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, bureaucrats are also in a more comfortable space. Officers disclosed that their colleagues do not hesitate to criticize the government or poke fun at it, especially in their various WhatsApp groups.
Another feature being noted is that many BJP leaders have also started expressing their views publicly including seniors. The change is surprising and the kind of rebellion that is seen in Haryana and other states had never been seen before. The BJP leaders in states are not listening to the high command and some of the ministers are giving vent to their feelings including Rao Inderjit Singh, MoS (Independent charge).
The importance of being Arun Goel
The rehabilitation of Arun Goel, a retired 1985-batch of IAS officer of Punjab cadre and former Election Commissioner who had abruptly resigned from his post before the 2024 general elections, has raised eyebrows. Goel has now been appointed as India’s ambassador to Croatia. It was rather surprising because had Arun Goel continued in his position in the EC, he would become the CEC in February 2025 after Rajiv Kumar's retirement until December 2027. But Goel resigned on March 10, 2024 and his resignation came just a month before the start of the first phase of voting for the 2024 Parliamentary elections on April 19.
Goel assumed charge as the EC on November 18, 2022. Incidentally, he had taken voluntary retirement as secretary of Heavy industries in the Union Government and was appointed as EC just a day after he took VRS. Goel was cooling his heels for the past six months at home after quitting as EC on March 10, 2024. But became the first political appointee abroad. Though Croatia is not critical to India's foreign policy, Goel's posting in Zagreb is important as it is located at the center of a sensitive region. Now it is clear that Arun Goel had resigned at the behest of someone assuring that he will be rehabilitated elsewhere. Goel impressed Modi when he showcased by conceptualising ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, a flagship campaign to celebrate 75 years of Independence. Goel is a “nice, soft-spoken and polite” officer who does not let anyone gauge what he's thinking, traits which are a must for a good diplomat.
Atishi no Dummy or Dumb
Atishi Marlena Singh, selected to succeed Arvind Kejriwal as Chief Minister of Delhi is no dummy or a dumb. No doubt, Manish Sisodia would have donned the mantle had he not been in jail in the Liquor-gate. Aitishi is the most trusted person not only close to Arvind Kejriwal but also to his wife Sunita as well. It can be judged from the fact that she was handling 14 portfolios and batted on the front-foot when colleagues were in jail. Interestingly, she became the Minister only in March last year when Sisodia and Satyendra Jain were sent to jail.
She is former Stephenian, a Rhodes Scholar and studied at University of Oxford, London and has a background in education, policy, and governance. She worked with several NGOs in Madhya Pradesh before joining AAP and was a key member of the Manifesto Drafting Committee of the party for the 2013 Assembly election which was a game-changer. Therefore,she is neither a “dummy and nor dumb.”
