Huge loss for Congress in Rajya Sabha

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

The hopes of many congress leaders to get a Rajya Sabha seat from Punjab have been dashed to the ground with the AAP sweeping the Assembly polls. Even the BJP and Akali Dal together cannot claim a single Rajya Sabha from the state. The AAP will have a bonanza of winning at least four out of five Rajya Sabha seats.

Be it Shamsher Singh Dullo or Pratap Singh Bajwa,both will retire on April 2 from the Rajya Sabha and are unlikely to return in future. Since the Rajya Sabha polls for three seats will be held first, each candidate will require 40 votes. The AAP will win at least two seats in the first round of Rajya Sabha polls. The third seat could go to the Opposition parties if Congress, Akali Dal and BJP and others could come together. Otherwise, the third seat will also go to the AAP.

Then the biennial poll for two seats will be held where 117 MLAs will elect them. Naresh Gujral (Akali Dal ) and Shwait Malik (BJP) will also retire from the Rajya Sabha. It is ironic that a new party like AAP will send another batch of 4-5 Rajya Sabha MPs in Parliament. The mandate of Punjab is such that AAP will sweep the Rajya Sabha polls and Congress strength in the Rajya Sabha will dwindle from 34 to 31. It is also losing a seat in Himachal Pradesh (Anand Sharma) and one in Assam.

It is a huge setback to Congress and Akali Dal.

Maharashtra’s Jaiswal new RAW Chief!

Maharashtra’s senior IPS officer of the 1985 batch Subodh Kumar Jaiswal seems to be a lucky man. Jaiswal was having a running battle with former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and looking for a way out. But he was not the first choice for the post of the CBI Director of the Prime Minister either when a short-list was prepared. The first choice was CBI's Special Director Rakesh Asthana, a Gujarat cadre officer and Modi's hot favourite. As luck would have it, Chief Justice of India, N V Ramana was against Asthana and consensus emerged in favour of Jaiswal during the selection committee meeting. Now the Prime Minister’s Office is very happy with Jaiswal and he has emerged as a favourite and trusted IPS officer in the government. It transpires that Jaiswal may soon be rewarded with another top job. If sources in the PMO are to be believed, Jaiswal may be sent to India’s premier espionage agency, Research & Analysis Wing (RAW). The current RAW Chief Samant Goel’s tenure is ending in June this year. But Jaiswal may be sent there in early April to RAW and Samant Goel may be appointed to another coveted post for the next couple of years. Jaiswal may also be happy in RAW as its chief for next two year. His tenure in CBI ends early next year and get a reward of one extra year. It may also be mentioned here that Jaiswal has been in RAW earlier and earned laurels.

Praveen Sinha may be next CBI Chief

Reward to Jaiswal is not without a reason. The government is keen to make Praveen Sinha as the next CBI Director. Sinha is currently number-two as Special Director. He is a 1988 batch IPS officer of Gujarat cadre and due to retire in April this year. If he is not made CBI Director before April, he cannot become a regular Director. When Subodh Kumar Jaiswal was chosen as the CBI Director last year, Sinha was not eligible for consideration for the post as officers belonging to batches between 1984 to 1987 were considered. If the post of the CBI Director falls vacant now, he can emerge as a strong contender for the top job. In any case, he can be given the charge of a Director without delay if Jaiswal quits before tenure and goes to RAW. Another reason in Sinha's favour is that he was elected to the Interpol's Executive Committee from Asia after a bitterly fought election last year defeating China. The entire might of the PMO and Ministry of External Affairs was put to ensure Sinha’s victory. This crucial post is for three-year and if Sinha is allowed to retire, India cannot retain this post at the Interpol. Therefore, in order to retain this post, Sinha is to be retained as no retired officer can be in the Executive Committee of Interpol as per rules. It is in this context that Praveen Sinha may have to be given the coveted post and Jaiswal being shifted to RAW. But there are many slips between the cup and lip.

Baffling reshuffle in PMO

The PMO is witnessing some interesting reshuffle and bureaucrats are keeping their fingers crossed. First, it was Senior Adviser Amarajeet Sinha in the PMO who quit his job all of a sudden seven months before his tenure in August 2021.Prior to him P K Sinha, Principal Adviser in the PMO, quit last year. Sinha was Cabinet Secretary prior to joining the PMO. It was rumoured that he may be brought in as LG of Delhi. But it's been over a year and he is cooling his heels. Now Bhaskar Kulbe who was appointed as Adviser to the Prime Minister, has put in his papers. Kulbe was earlier, secretary in the PMO and allowed to retire. After a couple of months, he was appointed as Adviser to the PM in 2020. But all of a sudden, he too put in his papers and quit. Interestingly, no replacements have been brought in the PMO after three senior officers quit in less than a year. The Principal Secretary to the PM, P K Mishra is reported to be in favour of cutting manpower in the government and beginning has been made in the PMO itself. It is authoritatively learnt that National Security Adviser Ajit Doval recently expressed his desire to resign considering his age. Doval is 77 years old and wants to be relieved. But the Prime Minister is reported to have declined to accept his resignation. Earlier, Nripendra Mishra, Principal Secretary to the PM, also quit a few months after he was re-appointed to the coveted post after Modi's big win in 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Clouds over Gehlot, Baghel, No way

Having lost power in Punjab rather badly, the leaders in two Congress-ruled states – Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh are waiting with bated breath for the high command to focus on restructuring the party and even change of guards. A decision will have to be taken on the new party president in these two states. While Sachin Pilot loyalists hope there will be a leadership change in Rajasthan, in Chhattisgarh, a group led by TS Singh Deo, the current health minister, is hoping for something similar. The incumbent Chhattisgarh chief minister, Bhupesh Baghel, is extremely close to Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and has played key roles in recent assembly elections in Assam and Uttar Pradesh. Therefore, there is no possibility of a leadership change. In the case of Rajasthan CM, Ashok Gehlot, the high command has committed that the next Assembly polls will be fought under his leadership. It means that his loyalists will be accommodated in the government. It is however, not certain what Pilot wants after the results of Assembly polls are out.

No Takers of Nitish Kumar

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is an extremely worried man. Ever since BJP emerged as number one party in 2020 Assembly polls forcing Janata Dal (U) to play a second fiddle, the “Sushashan Babu” has been desperately trying to find a way out. The day is not far when the BJP will split other parties in Bihar and form its own government in the event of winning the UP Assembly polls. It was in this background that Nitish Kumar's name suddenly made headlines as the possible Presidential candidate for the July 2022 polls. It emerged that freelance poll strategist Prashant Kishore was behind it. This news was spread after Telangana CM K Chandrashekhar Rao and Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray met for nearly four hours in Mumbai. When asked, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut denied saying there was no discussion on the presidential poll during the four hour long meeting as Raut was present throughout. It is Kishore who wants Nitish Kumar to move to the national scene to fill the vacuum among the non-BJP forces. But there are no takers of Nitish Kumar in the Opposition camp as his political integrity has taken a big hit.

Fly on the wall | Mamata's game of 50

Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Mamata's game of 50
The Game-2024 for the Lok Sabha polls has already begun. While the Congress Party is desperately working hard to revive itself and putting its entire might to win a couple of states in the ensuing round of Assembly polls early next year, the BJP is trying hard to defend its citadel in four states; UP, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur. Punjab is being watched very closely as its an open game with pollsters predicting a win for the dark horse AAP though its early days. These polls are also crucial for some of the regional players like SP, and BSP who have been facing BJP's onslaught for the past seven years in UP. But for most of the regional Satraps in the East, West and Southern regions, these Assembly polls are not of much consequence.

In the East in West Bengal, Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee is rather waiting for the Congress to suffer a setback. She knows that she is not a player in North Indian politics and remains unruffled as her honeymoon with the Congress is virtually over. She is now on her own trip with poll strategist Prashant Kishore advising her actively. If grapevine has it, she is now targeting to secure 50 Lok Sabha seats during the 2024 parliamentary polls as she can be a player in any non-BJP government formulation. This is a huge target considering her appeal confined to West Bengal with 42 Lok Sabha seats. She hopes to polarize the state the same way as Modi did in 2014 and 2019. Rather, she will have an added appeal to the voters saying; vote for me as I can be PM, a first Bengali. She may be anywhere between 34-37 Lok Sabha in 2024. But to win extra 13-15 seats, is an Herculean task. She is working hard to replace Congress in the North East comprising 22 Lok Sabha seats. She has already brought senior Congress leader Sushmita Dev into the party and was rewarded with a Rajya Sabha seat to influence voters in Assam and Tripura. She is also making a strategy to get a couple of seats each in Odisha, Jharkhand and even Bihar and enter into strategic adjustments with parties in states where Bengali voters are in large numbers.

The DarK Horse Uddhav
Until the other day, NCP Supremo Shaarad Rao Pawar was the only name that always cropped up for the post of PM probable. But knowledgeable sources say that unassuming Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray could be a new player in the Game-2024. He has changed the entire culture and ethos of Shiv Sena during the past two years in power. Uddhav is in the driver's seat and shown to the people how a coalition government is run. With no one around to take on the mighty BJP juggernaut Uddhav's style of working has given some hope as well. He has been a successful manager, measured in his responses, doesn't mince words either and knows when to keep quiet.

He is managing two very ambitious leaders, Sharad Pawar and Nana Patole with tremendous skill. Political pundits say if India gets a hung parliament, Uddhav is the man to watch. Uddhav has mastered the art of retaining his hard line Hindutva credentials and at the same time running a secular government without big jerks.

He continues to be close to the RSS, goes to Ayodhya, meets Modi and still keeps his secular partners happy. In addition, he also takes pride in his Maratha identity. The Sena has also shed its anti-minority violent image too. In a way, Uddhav Thackeray can be India’s first secular Hindu nationalist. It will be difficult for the BJP to use the minority appeasement bogey against a Hindu party. In addition, big corporate houses in Mumbai also like him. Interestingly, they are the same houses who bow before Modi in Delhi, But keep Thackeray in good humour in Mumbai.

Rising graph of Stalin
After two powerful southern leaders; K Kamraj and J Jayalalitha, failed to grab power in Delhi, DMK's M K Stalin is contemplating trying his luck. But he is not in a hurry and is slowly consolidating his position. He is looking beyond 2024 even if there is a hung house three years down the line. Poll strategist Prashant Kishore is a common factor between Stalin and Mamata Banerjee. If Mamata is targeting a 50 seats game, he is not far behind either. Currently, he is creating an identity raising issues like “federal structure” etc without talking politics directly. He is busy mobilising non-BJP Chief Ministers on key issues.

Varun Gandhi three others dropped from BJP Executive

Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

New Delhi, Oct 7

The BJP high command gave a tough message to those crossing the “Laxman Rekha” by dropping them from the national executive of the party today.

In the mega 309-member mega National Executive re-constituted today, almost two years after J P Nadda took over as president, three sitting MPs dropped.

Former Union Minister Ms Maneka Gandhi and Varun Gandhi, both Lok Sabha MPs, Dr Subramanian Swamy and ex-minister Birender Singh removed.

Party's official sources explained this was a routine exercise when a new president takes over.

Varun Gandhi had lately been indulging in a flurry of tweets by condemning events of Lakhimpur Kheri and was the only BJP leader to take flag the issue, in which the son of Minister of State for Home has been accused of murder.

Many felt that Varun Gandhi, by choosing to go public had made his intentions clear to the high command that he was ready to face the consequences including expulsion. But the Pilibhit MP's stance is clearly a sign of revolt at a time when the BJP is working hard to mobilise support before the Assembly polls.

On Tuesday, Varun Gandhi had tweeted a rather grainy video of a black SUV ploughing through a group of peaceful protesters from behind forcing the high command to act not only against him but also his mother who is a seven time Lok Sabha MP. Calling it "murder", Varun Gandhi said the video was enough to "shake the soul".

Swamy has taken on senior BJP leaders and the central government on multiple occasions. On Tuesday, he said that increasing petrol and diesel prices constitute a “tragedy for honest people of India”.

There are 80 members in the National Executive and 50 special invitees while 179 permanent invitees.

Fly On the Wall | A battle royal between two Chankyas

Fly On the Wall
by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

A battle royal between two Chankyas

If all goes as per plans, the country may soon be on the cusp of a battle royal between BJP's Chankya Amit Shah and Opposition’s poll strategist Prashant Kishore, “PK”. Both were key strategists for Narendra Modi’s Prime Ministerial campaign in 2014 and fell out later. The Congress is on the verge of picking PK as its key poll strategist until the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. A decision is likely anytime next week. PK will not charge any fee for his services as he will be formally joining the Congress. He has told the three Gandhis that if inducted, he will oversee the party's poll strategies in all the elections leading up to 2024. He said the situation can be retrieved in Punjab and Uttarakhand is winnable if the right kind of strategy is adopted. But he would like to make a big beginning with Gujarat and Karnataka where Assembly polls will be held in November 2022. The BJP and Congress are in direct contest in these states. The BJP can be defeated in its home turf in Gujarat after 27 years of being in power. Before inducting PK, Sonia Gandhi wants the stamp of approval of all CWC members. The party men are happy that finally Rahul Gandhi is listening to somebody and may act on his advice.

Why PK fell out with Shah

Though 'PK' was part of Modi’s core team in the run up to the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Modi was so impressed by PK’s skills that he was allotted a place on the top floor of the CM's residence itself. PK had also given Modi a blueprint to overhaul the bureaucracy on the US pattern where thousands of officers come and go with the new Presidents. When Modi asked PK what role he would like to play, the latter wanted to be named as BJP's Poll Strategist. If there could be a general secretary (organization), why not general secretary (poll strategy)? Modi was willing to consider but Amit Shah nixed it soon after taking over as BJP Chief. Modi dithered and PK moved out. Amit Shah and PK were face to face for the first time in Bihar and Delhi Assembly polls in 2015 and BJP was decisively defeated. But PK didn't get the desired credit. The victories in Punjab and Andhra Pradesh were discounted as BJP was a junior partner in these states. PK also tasted failure in 2017 in UP. His golden moment came seven years later when he trounced Amit Shah in West Bengal in 2021 in a big way. It was a huge setback for Shah and a beaming PK claimed “he is BJP’s overrated Poll Manager.”

Disquiet in RSS

There is disquiet in the RSS these days. A top RSS leader put it very aptly: “Aajkal prasannta ka vatavaran nahin Hai.” (Nowadays, the atmosphere is not pleasant). He did not elaborate but the disconnect between the BJP and the RSS is clearly visible. The RSS was not happy with the way the government handled CAA and three Farm Acts and the talks should have been held. The recent Cabinet reshuffle widened the gulf as wings of Nitin Gadkari were further clipped when the MSME ministry was taken away.

As if this was not enough, most of the recommendations of the RSS for new inductions were ignored. The RSS Chief, Mohan Bhagwat’s statement that the government and Society, both, have to understand and learn lessons from the Covid pandemic, was seen as an oblique criticism of the government.

But the Pegasus telephone tapping scandal that rocked governments world over, created a major disconnect. It has surfaced now that telephone numbers of many RSS functionaries including a senior one were under watch. It is learnt that a top-most officer of the Modi dispensation visited Chitrakoot where Pratinidhi Sabha was being held in the second week of July. The meet was significant as it came much before the Pegasus snooping scandal officially surfaced on July 18. He had a long chat with RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat. What transpired between them is not known. But many say that the tweet of Subramanian Swamy on July 18 morning that tapping the phones of PM Modi’s cabinet ministers, RSS leaders and others will be disclosed soon. Obviously, this person was sent to Chitrakoot on a fire-fighting mission as the government knew beforehand that such a scandal may surface. An insider said, “the gulf has widened since then.”

Fly on the Wall | BJP’s offensive worries NCP

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

BJP’s offensive worries NCP

The BJP seems to have mounted a fresh offensive against the NCP leadership after a lull. Two recent acts have turned heads. The first case relates to Enforcement Directorate action against former Maharashtra minister Anil Deshmukh which forced NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule, Jayant Patil and others to repeatedly come out in his defence. What has made NCP leadership worried is the extremely proactive action by the ED as if the agency is in a hurry after being instructed by political bosses in Delhi. It is not as if the CBI and other agencies have not registered cases against NCP leaders in the past. But such super speed action was never witnessed before. But it is the second action by the Maharashtra BJP against Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar that has raised eyebrows. The BJP’s top Maharashtra leadership recently passed a resolution named Ajit Pawar in the Sachin Waze case. The BJP specifically asked for a CBI probe against Ajit Pawar based on Sachin Waje's letter. Though both- the BJP and NCP down-played the dragging of Ajit Pawar’s name in the case, insiders say that a lot is cooking in Maharashtra’s “unworkable” ruling alliance. The BJP high command seem to be veering round to the view that any alliance with the NCP will not be in the larger interest of the party either in Maharashtra or the country as a whole. The one-day wonder experiment is better be buried and the BJP should launch a full throttled attack on the NCP. Whether any arrangement with the Sena is arrived at or not is a secondary issue. Thus, the twin actions are part of this strategy. Whether this action will result in any future alliance with the Shiv Sena or not, is yet to be seen. PM Modi has taken the Maharashtra affairs in his own hands now and he has the habit of throwing surprises.

BJP’s UP Waterloo

The BJP leadership is extremely worried about UP Assembly polls due next year. Though polls are taking place in Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab and Manipur too. But BJP’s watershed moment will be what happens next in the “Ulta Pradesh”. The hearts of the Opposition leaders are gladdened after the shock defeat of BJP in West Bengal and Mamata’s tumultuous return in the most ugly poll battles. The BJP had many handicaps in West Bengal, the foremost being the language barrier. None of the top BJP campaigners was familiar with the local language. The BJP had not projected anybody as its CM face and it had no grass root presence either in villages. However, they forget that UP is not West Bengal. Here, the BJP is already ruling the state and Yogi Adityanath is a tough CM. His graph went up in UP ever since the message went around that he did not buckle under the pressure of Central leadership. Secondly, the BJP has a battery of local leaders and no outsider tag can be fixed. In West Bengal, the BJP had a fierce and personally honest adversary like Mamata. Despite best efforts, she could not be dislodged through defection or other means. In UP, the Opposition leaders have all sorts of corruption charges being probed by CBI, ED, Income-Tax and others.

In the given scenario, the UP Assembly poll may be as polarized as we witnessed in West Bengal. It is also gradually emerging that Akhilesh Yadav of Samajwadi Party will emerge as the rallying point of the Opposition and Congress, RLD and others will come a cropper. The Jat community will go against the BJP due to farmers’ agitation and may lean towards Akhilesh Yadav along with the Yadavs and Muslims. Even Mayawati may not be able to swing the SCs’ votes as she used to in the past. These factors are worrying the BJP high command despite BJP being on the strong footing. The outcome will have a bearing on the Presidential poll due July 2022 too. Thus, a lot is at stake in UP for the BJP and PM Modi.

Uttarakhand: A new pain in the neck

While mystery continues to shroud as to why sitting Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat was shown the door in a mid-night coup by the high command, the incumbent Tirath Singh Rawat finding it difficult to choose his Assembly seat. He has to get elected as an MLA before September 9. He can contest from Gangotri or Haldwani. Both fell vacant after the demise of sitting MLAs due to Covid. Trivendra Singh Rawat can also be asked to vacate his Doiwala seat and Tirath Singh can contest from there. But Tirath Singh is scared of contesting a byelection in the current adverse political scenario. The Election Commission is quiet and so is BJP high command.

Fly On The Wall | Pawar’s huge huge dilemma

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Pawar’s huge huge dilemma

Sharad Pawar is facing a huge dilemma in his political career for sometime now. Though he is virtually running the Maharashtra government with a remote-control button, he remains a dissatisfied person. He is desperate to play a major role in the national political scene. This will be possible only when Congress is agreeable to his being leading the Opposition pack or the other like-minded Opposition parties (minus the Congress) accept him as the Leader. In addition, Pawar also wants his political legacy to be transferred to his daughter Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule in Maharashtra. This may, however, bring him in conflict with his nephew Ajit Pawar who has been working on the ground in the state for decades. The NCP cadre in Maharashtra sees Ajit Pawar as the natural choice in the state while Supriya Sule may play a role at the national level. Secondly, Sonia Gandhi is not in a mood of quitting the post despite a considerably weakened Congress & the UPA. Rahul Gandhi is not in a mood to step aside either. Will he achieve these objectives if he joins hands with BJP ? No one is sure.

Bengal is BJP’s Turning point!

West Bengal election results on May 2 will be a turning point for the BJP in more ways than one. A BJP win will not only open the flood gates for the party's pan-India reach but consolidate Modi-Shah grip on the entire political spectrum in the years to come. It is not that the Assembly polls in Kerala, Assam, Tamil Nadu & Puducherry are not important in BJP’s scheme of things. But BJP’s full focus is on snatching West Bengal from the TMC while retaining Assam and playing a second fiddle to NR Congress in Puducherry. In Kerala, the BJP’s priority is to defeat the Congress and won’t mind CPM retaining its bastion. The BJP has opened its gates for the Congressmen in Kerala in a big way. Knowledgeable sources in the corridors of power here say a tacit understanding may have taken place with the Left. The Left lent a helping hand to BJP in West Bengal in lieu of it. The latest slogan in West Bengal left is, “Aage Ram, Pore Baam (Ram first, Left later).” It means to dislodge Mamata first and let the BJP win this time around. The BJP had played a similar game in Punjab in 2017 when it ensured Capt Amrinder Singh’s win to defeat the AAP. Therefore, it is all the more baffling as to why Rahul Gandhi fell into the trap of the Left parties in West Bengal and had spurned Mamata’s offer for a tie-up.

Mamata on a weak wicket

TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee may be a born fighter but many battles in the past. But in the 2021 polls, she entered the battleground on a weak wicket. There are many factors including 10-years’ of anti-incumbency, desertions by many powerful leaders her ship, Abhishek Banerjee factor (the rise of Mamata’s nephew in the party) and success of BJP in polarizing the state voters by consolidating the Hindus on the one hand. Whether the Muslim voters have been divided or not will be known on May 2. But one should not forget the Owaisi factor that cost the RJD-Congress dearly in Bihar. Last but not the least, the PM’s visit to the historic temple of the Mathuas in Bangladesh has given BJP a big edge. Mathuas play a decisive role over 40-45 seats. And one should not forget the role played by the central agencies like the CBI, ED, NIA, NCB in every election. Is the tide turning? Wait until May 2.

BJP aims big after Bengal

A BJP win in West Bengal may give the party a clear majority in the Rajya Sabha by 2022 thereby giving PM Modi an opportunity to implement his ambitious “One Nation One Poll” plans. The BJP has 95 MPs in Rajya Sabha and a workable majority in the House of 245. Many regional parties like the BJD, YSR Congress, TDP and DMK have virtually no role to play in the given situation. The Assembly polls in 5 states are equally important for the entire Opposition and the Congress in particular. A TMC win may lead to the emergence of the United Front against the BJP. The role of the Congress Party will depend on its performance in Kerala, Assam and Puducherry. It is precisely because of this very reason that many prominent leaders like Nitish Kumar, Sharad Pawar and others are patiently waiting in the wings.

BJP in a dilemma over lone RS seat

Sushil Modi, Reena Paswan in reckoning

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

New Delhi, Nov. 25

All eyes are set on Bihar’s lone Rajya Sabha seat by-election which will be held on December 14. The last date of filing nomination is December 3. The seat fell vacant due to the death of Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP).

The bye-poll has assumed huge political significance as the LJP headed by Paswan’s son Chirag Paswan is claiming the seat. Though the LJP has only one MLA in the 243-member Bihar Assembly and it is not part of the NDA in Bihar either. But it remains the key member of the alliance in Delhi having six MPs in the Lok Sabha. Chirag Paswan is insisting upon the BJP leadership that his party helped the BJP emerge as the single largest party of the NDA in Bhar bagging 74 seats. Chirag Paswan also claims that LJP was instrumental in establishing BJP senior partner in the alliance. Therefore, the RS seat be given to his mother Reena Paswan. Secondly, his party may have won only one seat but it polled nearly 6% votes and a force to reckon with in Bihar. The BJP cannot brush the LJP aside and this fact was acknowledged by the BJP Chief J P Nadda too.

Insiders in the BJP say the party is grappling with its own problems. If it gives the seat to LJP, it may annoy Janatal Dal (U). Secondly, if the BJP decides to retain the seat, it will find it difficult to ignore the claim of Sushil Modi who was denied the Deputy Chief Minister’s post. It was then presumed that his services may be used in Delhi. If the BJP leadership wants to keep him at arm’s length, the seat may be given to the LJP. Therefore, the bye-poll has assumed huge political significance.

The BJP may also try to wean away some of the Congress-RJD MLAs as has been done in other states.

Fly on the wall - Emergence of a New Amit Shah & What next for Chirag ?

Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Emergence of a New Amit Shah 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is known for talking straight without mincing words. Lately, he was out of action for almost three months after being hit by Covid and related health issues. His absence was felt by many because the Prime Minister is not known for opening up. Even the BJP Chief J P Nadda prefers to keep his counsel and shun the media. There is no one in the ruling establishment who carries authority to speak on thorny issues. After former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was made incharge of Bihar poll, powerful BJP general secretary Bhupendra Yadav also decided to maintain a low-profile. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh is coming out of his cocoon but confines himself to the task assigned and speaks on Defense related issues only. There is none in the hierarchy who commands authority. It was at this juncture that Amit Shah broke his silence and dwelt on many issues. But this was a different Amit Shah as he was not full of fire & fury. Rather, he maintained a completely low-profile. Yet, he put the record straight and disapproved many a things that the hardliners in the Parivar were doing; be it Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari’s letter to CM Uddhav Thackeray or linking of drug cartel probe to only Bollywood, media trial in the Sushant Singh Rajput case, Tanishq advertisement on communal harmony and what not. He was telling clearly that neither the Centre nor he per se, had any hand in all that had happened during the past three months. In a way, he was rather clarifying that neither he and nor the party should be blamed for it or if it had hurt anybody. Whether he was trying to build bridges with Shiv Sena, could be anybody’s guess. But he clearly told Bollywood that he doesn’t approve of what the Narcotics Control Bureau had done or what the Paparazzi in TV channels were doing despite their political affiliations. Certainly, it’s a new Amit Shah not the one the country knew so far. (Click here to read original article)

Putting a cart before the Horse

There is considerable surprise in the medical fraternity as to why a hype is being created over

Coronavirus vaccine. A series of meetings are being held at the highest level lately and all concerned including states have been told to draw up detailed plans how the vaccine will be distributed and who will be vaccinated first. A list of roughly two crores priority people have already been drawn up. Remember the days when the Railway Ministry converted 20000 coaches into Covid beds without much planning which are still lying idle or ICMR setting August 15 deadline for Covid vaccine! Barring China, no country is claiming any vaccine at least until April 2021. The USA & Europe have rejected India’s claim to waive off Intellectual Property Right (IPR) for vaccines at the WTO. Of course, some companies including Indian ventures are working on antibody drugs instead which can give relief for six months or so. India has not paid a penny for any upfront payment to procure vaccines to any global company. But plans are being drawn up to get vaccines distribution. Experts say “It’s like putting a cart before the horse”.

What next for Chirag ?

All eyes are set on the Prime Minister who will begin his mega Bihar poll campaign on October 23 as to what he will say about Chirag Paswan. Though BJP’s Bihar unit called Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) as “vote katua”, Devendra Fadnavis, incharge of Bihar, avoided any such adjectives. Even Amit Shah ducked the question saying, “We will see after the elections.” The Janata Dal (U) is pressing BJP leadership hard to throw LJP out of the NDA at the national level right away and refusing to give Rajya Sabha to LJP fell vacant after Ram Vilas Paswan’s death. It seems NDA is somewhat on a weak wicket in Bihar.

Atmanirbhar Bharat, what a pity 

The government banned 101 items for being imported in the defense sector with big fanfare claiming these will be manufactured in India as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat. When the list was finally uploaded by the Defense ministry on its website, there was amusement. Why ? It turned out that more than 40 items were never imported for years. The ministry banned the Hull-mounted Sonar even though DRDO's HUMSA and USHUS sonar suits are mega successes already. In another bizarre move, the ministry canceled tenders of more than a dozen companies who had started their manufacturing units to meet defense needs only. Now these companies have been left high & dry and shut down. This was done after a series of negotiations for the supply of ammunition since 2016.

Fadnavis flying to Patna, Delhi for talks

• BJP not to buckle under Nitish Pressure
• Wants JD(U) to contest 102 seats only

Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

New Delhi, Sep 26

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and incharge of BJP’s Bihar unit Devendra Fadnavis will be flying to Patna and later Delhi to finalise party’s strategy for October 28 Assembly polls.

If sources close to Fadnavis are to be believed, the party is unlikely to buckle under Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s pressure in seat-sharing arrangements. Fadnavis will come to Delhi in the first week of October after visiting Patna. 

Fadnavis had gauged the mood on tie up when he visited Patna immediately after his surprise appointment to over-see Bihar Assembly polls by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Obviously, Modi was unhappy with the way the BJP had to surrender five extra Lok Sabha seats to Janata Dal (U) during the 2019 polls. The BJP contested 17 seats instead of 22 sacrificing five sitting MPs and gave 17 seats to JD(U). The party high command accepted this humiliation at the hands of Nitish Kumar despite the massive Modi wave.

But now there is no such compulsion. Secondly, Fadnavis is reported to have conveyed to the party high command about the dwindling graph of Nitish Kumar due to mishandling of Coronavirus and migrant labours and floods issues. 

Internal field surveys ordered at the instance of Fadnavis showed that PM Modi has a lead of 12% over Nitish Kumar in popularity and its time Nitish made to pay the price. Nitish wants to contest 118 seats but the BJP is unwilling to concede more than 100-102 out of 243 seats.

The BJP also wants to contest 102 seats leaving 39 for LJP, HAM and other new entrants.

Insiders say that open revolt against Nitish Kumar by Chirag Paswan, president of the Bihar LJP is being engineered by the BJP. The BJP brought HAM party’s Jitan Ram Manjhi into the NDA fold and instigated RLSP leader Upendra Kushwaha to leave the RJD-Congress. Perhaps, Modi has not forgotten the day when Nitish Kumar walked out of the NDA in 2013 after he was declared BJP’s prime ministerial candidate. It is a different matter that Nitish Kumar defected to NDA in 2017 to remain in power. Its pay back time for Nitish Kumar.

Sachin Pilot to join the BJP - His Mother Rama Pilot had clinched the deal

Harish Gupta ( National Editor, Lokmat Group)
New Delhi, July 14

Sacked Rajsthan Deputy Chief Minister and PCC president Sachin Pilot may finally join the BJP. Though he had been maintain a studied silence for several days, his tweet today gave a clue when he thanked his supporters for their “ gratitude to all those who have come out in my support today.” He ended the short tweet with “राम राम सा !” The word of Ram Ram Sa is commonly used in local parlance in Rajasthan. But gives a clue to what is going on behind the scenes.

Highly placed sources in the BJP told Lokmat that the script of the Rajasthan drama was written in February itself when Rama Pilot, mother of Sachin Pilot met BJP’s newly elected president, J P Nadda. She met Nadda through an intermediary and clearly told him that if the BJP was willing to make her son the Chief Minister, he may jump the ship.

Rama Pilot was extremely furious with Congress president Sonia Gandhi for denying the CM’s post to Sachin who had worked tirelessly for five year as PCC Chief which had brought the Congress back to power. Though Sonia Gandhi tried to assuage her by saying that Sachin will continue to hold the dual post of PCC Chief and Dy CM. But no commitment was made in this regard.

The offer was tempting for the BJP which had lost power in Rajasthan as Pilot had stitched a Meena-Gujjar alliance which caused BJP’s humiliating defeat in Eastern Rajasthan. The BJP lost 42 out of the 49 seats there. 

But the offer had its own pitfalls for the BJP and Nadda needed time to discuss in his own party. He had just taken over on January 20 as party Chief. A series of discussions were held within the Central unit and the matter went right up to the Prime Minister. It was decided that the opinion of the senior functionaries of the RSS be obtained. During all this, time was lost and lockdown was imposed on March 24 bringing all political activity to a grinding halt.

The BJP got into act when Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s Special Operation Group (SOG) issued a notice to Sachin Pilot to appear before him for attempting to bribe the NLAs in the Rajya Sabha polls.

A series of raids by Income Tax and Enforcement Directorate allegedly involving Gehlot’s businessman son and others at ten locations. Now the fight is not between Sachin Pilot and Gehlot. Its BJP Establishment and Gehlot-Gandhi duo.

Nadda set to reshuffle BJP team

Harish Gupta ( National Editor, Lokmat Group)

New Delhi, July 7

• 25 Morchas, Departments may be over-hauled
• New General secretaries too
• Cabinet reshuffle later

BJP president J P Nadda will have a new team anytime, before July 15-16. The Cabinet reshuffle may follow later.

Highly placed sources say Nadda will have some “new faces” as vice president, general secretaries and heads of 25 Morchas and Departments. Nadda’s focus will be giving new direction to these departments and Morchas.

Of the eight general secretaries at least two may be replaced including Dr Anil Jain. Another general secretary incharge of Maharashtra, Saroj Pandey may be inducted into the Union Council of Ministers. Manoj Sinha, a former Railway Minister of State, may be brought in as new general secretary.

Bhupendra Yadav and Kailash Vijayvargiya over-seeing two poll bound states of Bihar and West Bengal respectively will be retained. The Yuva Morcha chief, Poonam Mahajan may be replaced by another young face. Tejswasi Surya, a Lok Sabha MP from Karnataka, is in the reckoning. Vijay Rahatkar, Mahila Morcha Chief may also be entrusted with new responsibility.

Similarly, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister may be replaced by Raghubar Dass of Jharkhand as Vice president. There are 10 vice presidents and a couple of them may be accommodated elsewhere. 

Nadda’s main strength is the new general secretary (org) B L Santosh who replaced Ram Lal. Santosh reminds days of late Sunder Singh Bhandari who was a tough task master and comes from the RSS.

The changes were finalized after the high-level meeting that took place last Saturday at the Prime Minister’s residence where top RSS and BJP leaders were present. 

It is clear that the Foreign Affairs Department will be strengthened and taken to a new high as PM Modi wants BJP to play a major role in this arena. A full fledged high-tech foreign affairs department will be strengthened under Vijay Chauthaiwale who hails from Maharashtra.

Nadda has a difficult task to fill the vacancies in parliamentary board arising out of the tragic demise of Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and Anant Kumar.

Kejriwal summons National Council meet tomorrow

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Kejriwal summons National Council meet tomorrow

Nursing Big ambitions, But cautious to step out again

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Feb 15

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will hold National Council meeting tomorrow after the swearing-in-ceremony at the Ramlila Grounds to discuss Aam Aadmi Party's expansion plans outside the national Capital.

The Council meeting involving state and district level coordinators will deliberate on expanding AAP's national footprint.

The AAP leadership feels that the Congress is collapsing faster than expected and its voters and cadres are disillusioned. Therefore, its time to seize the opportunity and woo them.

The AAP has considerable presence in Punjab, Maharashtra and couple of other states. But even this base has dwindled during the past couple of years. Kejriwal is also pursuing soft Hindutva and seek votes in the name of governance & development. But lack of unity among the anti-BJP regional parties is boon for PM Modi & BJP.

These regional satraps are unwilling to join hands with the Congress for one reason or the other and the Congress is unwilling to accept the leadership of any of the regional leaders. There was a time when Congress was talking to Nitish Kumar to join hands to fight the BJP. But somehow the plans fell through.

It is in this context that Arvind Kejriwal sees an opportunity to emerge as an acceptable face who is non-controversial, non-corrupt and did not attack Modi or Rahul Gandhi personally. The CBI had even raided his office. But could not make out a case.

Therefore, an astute politician that Kejriwal is, he wants to gauge the mood of national council members tomorrow before taking the next step.

The first focus of the AAP will be Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections due in 2022 which is ruled by the BJP for the past 15 years and Punjab Assembly polls to be held the same year.

Kejriwal is of the considered view that his party is not prepared to play any significant role in Bihar polls due in August 2020 and West Bengal, Assam, Kerala & Tamil Nadu in 2021. However, it may try its hands in Puducherry where Kiran Bedi is Lt. Governor who faced a humiliating defeat at the hands of Kejriwal in 2015 polls.

Ends

Amit Shah's retreat is a “Tactical Shift”

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Amit Shah's retreat is a “Tactical Shift”

Condemning “Goli Maaro” remark aimed at Bihar polls

Nitish, Paswan had sounded alarm bells

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Feb 14

Union Home Minister Amit Shah's disapproval of remarks by BJP's motormouths after the humiliating defeat in the Delhi Assembly polls is a not a change of heart of the party but a “tactical shift”. Even this tactical shift is temporary keeping in mind the immediate political necessity looming large in Bihar.

The Assembly elections in Bihar are due to be held within the next six months where the BJP is a junior partner to Janata Dal (U). To top it all, the Lok Jantrantrik Party (LJP) of Ram Vilas Paswan will also not align with the BJP if it kept its own hate agenda in Bihar.

Therefore, Amit Shah poured waters by condemning “Goli Maaro and India-Pakistan match” remarks by sitting Lok Sabha MPs and ministers in the Modi government.

Insiders say that the public condemnation, three days after the defeat, was made publicly by Shah after allies in Bihar raised alarm bells. The BJP leadership is aware that the party is a junior partner in Bihar and neither Janata Dal (U) nor LJP will compromise on the issue.

Though Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar entered into an alliance with the BJP on two Assembly seats in Delhi and campaigned with Amit Shah, he was extremely uncomfortable with the hard-line Hindutva campaigning by the BJP leaders. Nitish Kumar is considered “Susashan Babu” in Bihar and able to defeat Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD due to his performance and keeping the minorities on his side to some extent. He would not allow the BJP to pursue its agenda of hate or polarised campaigning in the state.

Since Assembly polls are due in Bihar in six months from now, Amit Shah knows more than anybody else that if the BJP is to align with JD (U), its Hindutva agenda won't work in the state.

Secondly, LJP president Chirag Paswan has already issued a tacit warning to the BJP leaders that no “hate speeches” will be allowed in Bihar. His father Ram Vilas Paswan shared stage with BJP leaders during the Delhi Assembly polls and was seen extremely uncomfortable with the BJP's political discourse. Instead of Ram Vilas Paswan making a remark against the BJP, he has fielded his son to issue a statement against the BJP leaders who made the hate speeches.

It is in this background that Amit Shah, being an astute politician, smoked the peace pipe. But Amit Shah's dilution of stand is temporary and once Bihar elections are over in August, the BJP will go back to its own agenda in West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry where Assembly polls are due in April 2021.

Kejriwal turns Devout Hindu, gets Muslim votes

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

News cum analysis

Kejriwal turns Devout Hindu, gets Muslim votes 

Alarm bells for BJP as Opposition rejuvenated  

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Feb 11 

The AAP's spectacular second sweep in a row in Delhi Assembly elections today has given the reverse “current” to the BJP leadership. The BJP which had made Shaheen Bagh as its main poll plank and fielded motormouths in the campaign to divide voters, will have to re-invent strategy to win Delhi. The 22 year long drought for the party in national Capital has been a huge pain in its neck and nothing worked for it since 1998. In 2015, the BJP even imported a rank outsider, former IPS Kiran Bedi, as its chief ministerial face ignoring the legitimate claim of party veteran Dr Harsh Vardhan. She suffered a humiliating defeat herself and the party sank to worst ever tally of three out of 70 seats. In 2020, the BJP leadership decided not to project any local leader for the post of Chief Minister against mighty Arvind Kejriwal and Amit Shah personally led the campaign from the front. A conscious decision was taken to grab the 'Shaheen Bagh indefinite dharna' by women folks and arouse Hindu sentiments in the city. More than 20 Union Ministers and 200 plus party MPs were pumped into the campaigning for 30 days. It was a “carpet bombing” Amit Shah is known for. He personally distributed leaflets in several colonies and hoped to turn the election. 

However, Arvind Kejriwal stuck to his development model and shunned Shaheen Bagh completely. He didn't utter a single word against Prime Minister Modi or even Amit Shah. He made all the right noises and even grabbed the Prime Minister's slogan “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas”. Simultaneously, he went on chant “Vande Matram” and visited Hanuman Temple to send the message to the nationalists and Hindus that he is part of them. He addressed several Town Hall meetings on TV channels and ducked all national issues. Yet, the Muslims saw in him a new saviour as Congress was no where to be seen or heard.

The underlining message of Delhi polls is the emergence of two party system relegating Congress to a position of complete insignificance. The Congress had no strategy and Rahul Gandhi went over-board when he went to address a public meeting saying, “The youth will beat him with a stick in six months as they are not getting jobs.”

The BJP committed the cardinal mistake of attacking the Congress. In the process, the party's votes went to the AAP furthering the prospects of Kejriwal.

Kejriwal proved himself as an astute politician and termed his victory by chanting “Bharat Mata ki Jai”. The BJP cannot target him for being anti-Hindu. Last but not the least, the BJP will have to revert to development model of the PM dumping the politics of hate. It will now have to look at Bihar Assembly polls more carefully and cannot take victory for granted. The location of one Shaheen Bagh may be shifted. But Kejriwal's win has given a new fervor to the entire Opposition.

Intense lobbying begins for 7 Maharashtra RS Seats

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

special report 

Intense lobbying begins for 7 Maharashtra RS Seats

Fadnavis tops the chart of probables, Pawar sure to return

Dhoot, Husain Dalwai may miss the bus

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Feb 5

Quiet but intense lobbying has begun for seven Rajya Sabha seats from Maharashtra falling vacant. Given the composition of 288 member state Assembly, BJP will bag three Rajya Sabha seats while the remaining four will go to the Sena-NCP-Congress combine. If sources are to be believed, the NCP is asking the Shiv Sena to spare an extra Rajya Sabha seat for it. The Congress has 44 MLAs in the House and can easily win one seat.

Of the seven retiring MPs, the return of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar is a foregone conclusion. The NCP will take a decision on its second candidate only after Sena's green signal. Thus, the future of NCP's Majeed Memon hangs in the balance.

The BJP leadership has assured Ramdas Athawale, Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment of his re-election though his RPI doesn't have the numbers. But uncertainty continues about the remaining two BJP candidates.

Highly placed sources in the BJP say that there is an outside chance of Devendra Fadnavis being brought to Delhi through Rajya Sabha and inducted into the Union Ministry. The former Maharashtra Chief Minister is a blue-eyed boy of the Prime Minister and wants to use him in national politics as the party is not keen to destabilize the Uddhav Thackeray government, at least for now. But no final decision has been taken. Fadnavis has been in Delhi for campaigning and held talks with members of the party high command. Amar Shankar Sable, sitting BJP MP is also a contender for being renominated for second term. The name of Ajay Sancheti, a former RS MP, is also being mentioned. One also hears that a noted economist may be brought to Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra. Uday Raje Bhonsle who quit his Lok Sabha to join the BJP, is also in the reckoning.

It is also learnt that Shiv Sena sitting MP Rajkumar Dhoot is unlikely to make a cut this time. But the intense battle is going on in the Congress for the lone Rajya Sabha seat. The sitting MP Husain Dalwai is not to be renominated and many are in the fray including Rajni Patel, Rajiv Satav, Milind Deora, Rajiv Shukla and Mukul Wasnik. Prithviraj Chavan is also keen to return to national politics quitting his MLA seat.

The biennial polls will be held early next month.

Ends 

Nadda's auspicious day sooner than expected !

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Nadda's auspicious day sooner than expected ! 

Amit Shah keen to quit party post before Delhi polls

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Jan. 13

The Capital is agog with reports that the working president J P Nadda may take over the reins as full president of the party very soon. Insiders say that a special session of the National Council of the BJP may be held either within the next ten days or immediately after the Delhi Assembly polls. But BJP president and Union Home Minister Amit Shah has impressed upon the party leaders that he would like to give up the party post to focus fully on the government affairs.

Now that the inauspicious period of “Khad Mas” (One month period) is over on the Makar Sankranti tomorrow, the process may be expedited. Though the process of completing states' organisational polls is not over yet, it is felt that the wait should not be prolonged.

The prolonged uncertainty in the party's leadership is giving birth to all kinds of speculations in the media and the party. Now that Nadda has worked closely with Amit Shah for nearly seven months, its time, he should be inducted as soon as possible. If inducted within the next ten days, Nadda will face an uphill task dislodged Arvind Kejriwal's government in Delhi. The hopes of the BJP rest on the revival of the Congress party which alone can weaken the AAP.

Though the time is short, Nadda has the capability to woo the old guards in his own affable style and sort out factionalism in the national capital within the party leaders. Seconly, he is an alliance man and would not have allowed All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) to part ways in Jharkhand. J P Nadda was designated working president of the BJP in June last year and Amit Shah continued into the post for one reason or the other for such a long time dispensing with the principle of One-Man One-Post.

A final decision will be known in the next couple of days.

Ends 

Amit Shah burning midnight oil Confrontation between Centre-states building on CAA

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Amit Shah burning midnight oil

Confrontation between Centre-states building on CAA

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Jan. 4

Worried over continued protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in parts of the country, the BJP leadership is working on multiple fronts to isolate these protesters.

If the party leadership has decided to launch a countrywide blitz to derail these protests, the Modi government has launched a diplomatic offensive globally to counter the propaganda in this regard.

What has worried the government more is that protesters have changed their strategy and going the way shown by protesters in Assam. These protesters are now completely peaceful, siting on dharna, offering flowers to the policement surrounding them. The protesters from the minority community are even carrying National Flag in their hands and chanting Jana Gana Mana. Barring the initial week of violent protests, the protests in Delhi and elsewhere are peaceful. Nearly eleven states ruled by the non-NDA parties are witnessing massive protests and even states of North East are part of it.

Though BJP chief Amit Shah has been making strong statements in support of the CAA, the ministry of Home Affairs has not issued rules pertaining to the amended act. Perhaps, the government is waiting for the supreme court to open after the winter break and make some initial obervations when the hearing begins.

The Ministry doesn't want to precipitate the issue and busy finding a solution to the tricky situation arising in Assam where the BJP has promised to protect the Assamese culture and identity.

The BJP leadership's brainstorming two days ago was part of this exercise. It discussed the consequences of the resolution passed by the Kerala Assembly against the implementation of the CAA. Though the Home Ministry termed it unconstitutional and beyond the powers of the state, the trend is worrying. Pressure is mounting on the Assam government to pass such a resolution and tell the Centre that CAA in its present form can't be accepted.

Meanwhile, the MHA has told the states informally that if they do not implement CAA and NPR beginning April, the officers may be liable to be prosecuted. If the state gpovernments don't cooperate, it will tantamount to breakdown of the constitutional machinery and may lead to dismissal of the government itself. The MHA has also made it clear that states have no role in it and they need not be consulted either.

The states of Kerala, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Punjab and Maharashtra have declared that they would not implement CAA.

Ends 

Suspense over Change of Guards in BJP continues

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Suspense over Change of Guards in BJP continues

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Jan. 2

Intense speculation is on in the BJP over the exact date of take over of J P Nadda as the full time president of the BJP.

While a section believe that the much-awaited change of guards may take place after the Makar Sankranti in January, others say that the process of completing states' organisational polls is not over yet. The process of organisational polls in states is likely to be completed sometime in January and J P Nadda may be handed over the reins anytime thereafter.

J P Nadda was designated working president of the BJP in June last year. It was stated then that Union Home Minister Amit Shah will demit the party post keeping in mind the “one man one post” principle doggedly followed by the BJP. But Amit Shah continued into the post in order to familiarise Nadda with the organisational structure.

In the meantime, it was felt by the party that let Amit Shah continue in the post and directly monitor the Assembly polls in Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand. Somehow, the results were a serious set back to his winning streak and now he is keen to quit before the Delhi Assembly polls due in the first week of February.

However, no decision has been taken whether Amit Shah will hang his boots as party president before the Delhi Assembly polls or prior to the polls itself. He has already constituted a team of three ministers- Prakash Javadekar, Hardeep Singh Puri and Nityanand Rai- to oversee Delhi polls. The notification is likely to be issued anytime now for the Delhi polls. But no one is giving any numbers to the BJP in Delhi. Shah may be keen to demit the office but Nadda doesn't want to begin his inninings in office with a poor note. Therefore, it is likely that he may take over some time in mid-February when the Parliament will go into a recess after the Budget presentation and results of Delhi polls will be out.

Ends