BJP trying hard to placate the RSS
It may sound strange but true. It has emerged that the BJP leadership is going out of the way to placate its mother organization, the RSS. Two recent decisions by the Modi government had not only surprised political observers but the RSS itself. In a suo-moto decision, the government allowed the government servants to join the world's largest social organization, the RSS. No doubt, the RSS had urged the government in 2015 to lift the ban imposed by the Congress regime almost 40 years ago. The RSS never reminded the government since 2015 though the two had been working together to strengthen each other. Another decision that came as a bolt from the blue was granting highest level security to RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat. The RSS Chief had not sought any upgrade in his security status. But it was on the basis of intelligence and security agencies recommendations that the Union Home Ministry upgraded the security cover to Z+ level equivalent to the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
However, the RSS is unwilling to relent on the question of appointing a new BJP Chief in place of J P Nadda. The RSS leadership has made it clear that the next BJP Chief should be the person suggested by it. The PM is free to run the affairs of the government and who should be inducted into the ministry is entirely his prerogative. But when it comes to the BJP, it should be allowed to have a person of its choice. It is largely because of lack of time and other reasons that consensus over the new BJP chief has not been reached. The decision has been pushed to early next year and the RSS is hopeful that the "family matter" will be resolved.
Not every IAS officer is lucky, “Ghar Wapasi” on hold
Dr Shah Faesal, an IAS officer of the 2010 batch of the J&K service was lucky that after quitting the IAS and once flirting with 'Politics of Change' was allowed to rejoin the service. This was a rare case as he returned to the government fold. Dr Shah took VRS and launched a political party and two years later he quit politics and got reinstated into the service. Eyebrows were raised but broadly people welcomed it.
Now another IAS officer is hoping to get the same treatment. A flamboyant and outspoken IAS officer Abhishek Singh, 2011 batch of the UP cadre, who took VRS and joined politics right ahead of the Lok Sabha polls 2024, is finding it difficult to return to service after his resignation is accepted. Abhishek Singh, a model and a film actor, has now applied to the Centre requesting his re-induction into service but the state government has recommended not to take him back. The final decision has to be taken by the central government. Sources said that due to the political activism of Abhishek Singh, even the Govt of India is not ready to consider his name. Singh had resigned from the job in October 2023. He had made huge efforts to secure a Lok Sabha ticket from Jaunpur from BJP, but his efforts failed to earn dividends. His support for caste census and reservation has made things even more difficult. His wife Durga Shakti Nagpal is currently the DM of Lakhimpur Kheri.
When a foe turns admirer !
It may sound strange but true. Ever since the Congress Party won 99 Lok Sabha seats in 2024 polls and Rahul Gandhi became the Leader of Opposition (LoP), world view has drastically changed about him. It clearly emerged that Rahul Gandhi is setting the agenda and the BJP has been forced to respond to many of the core issues raised by him including the Caste Census. But the shocker was complete somersault by Smriti Irani who had been his bitter foe for decades. After defeating Rahul Gandhi in Amethi in 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Irani was on seventh Heaven. She called him names and poked fun. But after her humiliating defeat from Amethi by Rahul Gandhi's aide KishoriLal Sharma, she virtually vanished from the scene after vacating her ministerial bungalow.
Suddenly she appeared on the scene and praised Rahul Gandhi's new approach and said he shouldn’t be underestimated. In a podcast, she said that Rahul now represents a 'different kind of politics.' She, however, was quick to add that Rahul's change in strategy was politically driven, and may have risen from his failed attempts at engaging in “soft Hindutva.” The BJP leadership, however, is not amused as Irani is looking for a political role which has not fructified so far.
Another popular Haryanvi singer-composer Jai Bhagwan Mittal aka Rocky Mittal also had a change of heart. A bitter critic of Rahul Gandhi for many years tendered a public apology saying, “Maaf karna, Rahul mere bhai, I was a blind devotee of the BJP leadership, I stumbled. Please forgive me.” Mittal seems to have fallen out with the BJP.
What Next for Azad !
Ghulam Nabi Azad walked out of the Congress after being denied a Rajya Sabha seat, terminating his 45 years of association. He formed Democratic Progressive Azad Party to decimate the Congress in J&K with the BJP lending tacit support. But he failed to make any impact in the Lok Sabha polls and his party is in shambles now as all those who came along have deserted him. Azad himself withdrew from the Assembly polls and cooling his heels. Even the BJP is now supporting other smaller parties and reportedly opened a pipeline with the PDP by deputing Ram Madhav as Prabhari along with Union Minister G Kishen Reddy.
