Clamour for Rahul Gandhi's return as Congress Chief grows

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

special report

Clamour for Rahul Gandhi's return as Congress Chief grows

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Dec 13

Congress Interim president Sonia Gandhi has renewed her efforts to persuade Rahul Gandhi to take the reins of the party once again.

Rahul Gandhi who had virtually gone into a shell, stopped meeting party leaders, attending meetings and remaining absent from Lok Sabha, has been active again.

He has not only been active on twitter but meeting with leaders again. He also attended the Speaker, Om Birla's customary tea party this afternoon after the Lok Sabha was adjourned sine-die.

He has agreed to address the Congress rally tomorrow at Ramlila grounds – a brainchild of Sonia Gandhi, aimed at bringing focus on Rahul Gandhi. Enthused by the formation of the Opposition government in Maharashtra, slowdown in the economy and growing protests against the CAB, Sonia Gandhi decided to hold a major rally in the Capital.

There are reports that leaders after leaders of the party will make a plea to Rahul Gandhi to take back his resignation at tomorrow's rally. Though the official purpose of the rally is to attack on the NDA government for its failure on all front and show to the people that Congress is an credible alternative, the covert purpose is to persuade Rahul Gandhi to listen to the voices of leaders and withdraw his resignation.

Rahul Gandhi did not listen to her advice and abruptly resigned taking responsibility for the rout of the party immediately after the Lok Sabha polls. Though leaders present at the Congress Working Committee tried hard to persuade him not to press for his resignation, he insisted on resigning. Its a different matter that his resignation was never accepted by the working committee and pending his absence, Sonia Gandhi took interim charge of the party.

Several senior party functionaries including Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel, chief ministers of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have openly asked Rahul Gandhi to take back resignation.

Though Sonia Gandhi as Interim chief has improved the Congress graph in several states including Haryana and Maharashtra. But she wants to relinquish the charge due to various reasons including health reasons.

All eyes are now set on Jharkhand, where Assembly poll process is on and the party is upbeat.

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When Om Birla's own question remained Unanswered

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

When Om Birla's own question remained Unanswered

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, June 27

A strange situation arose in the Lok Sabha when the Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar saw a parliamentary question from none other than the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Om Birla on his table. The Parliament session of the 17^thLok Sabha began on June 17 and regular question & answer hour was to begin on June 21. Om Birla, as BJP MP from Rajasthan sent his first parliamentary question to the Ministry on June 17 itself after taking oath as member. His question was

(a) whether India fs domestic climate policy is outdated and relies on a disjointed institutional architecture, without having clarity on foundational values;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government to overcome this;

(c) whether India strongly needs a comprehensive policy document with a new vision to guide it forward in responding to the rapidly closing window against climate change;

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) whether the Government intend to re-examine the existing policy framework through the lens of climate change, and revise the framework, as necessary and if so, the details thereof?. But by the time the reply was to be given, Om Birla had become Speaker of the Lok Sabha. Javadekar was puzzled as to what he should do. He called Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi whether he should put his reply in writing on the floor of the parliament or simply send it to the Hon Speaker. But Parliamentary practice & procedure required that if the Question of the Member is listed, the answer has to be tabled too. Finally, it was decided that answer need not be tabled though Unstarred Question was listed.

Interestingly, Om Birla has been an active member of the Lok Sabha in his first term when he participated in 163 debates including Budget, Motion of thanks on the President's Address & special mentions. He asked as many as 631 unstarred questions during 2014-19 and his attendance very high.

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Om Birla is New Speaker Lok Sabha

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Om Birla is New Speaker Lok Sabha

Modi surprises parties by his choice

2 term MP may be elected unanimously

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, June 18:

In a surprise development, the BJP leadership named two-time Lok Sabha MP from Rajasthan Om Birla as the Speaker of the 17th Lok Sabha. The 57 year old former Rajasthan Minister will succeed 76-year-old Sumitra Mahajan.

As many as ten political parties belonging to the NDA and non-NDA decided to support his candidature. The Congress decided not to put up a candidate for the post of the Speaker signalling that Om Birla may be declared unanimously elected tomorrow.

Apart from the Shiv Sena, Akali Dal, LJP, Janata Dal (U), MNF, NPP, AIADMK and Apna Dal, the YSR Congress, BJD and others have lent their support to Om Birla.

After the decision was taken this morning by the core committee of the ruling dispensation, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Prahlad Joshi contacted leaders of various political seeking their support. “I have spoken to Congress leaders .K Suresh and Gulab Nabi Azad. They have not signed till now but I think they would not oppose,” Joshi said today.

Om Birla's selection surprised many as there are large number of veterans in the BJP in Lok Sabha who have huge parliamentary experience. The names of Maneka Gandhi, Radha Mohan Singh, S S Ahluwalia, Jual Oram, were doing the rounds.

But sources in the BJP say that Om Birla is a senior party functionary and has wide ranging experience in legislation as he was three time MLA and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs in the Vasundhararaje Government in Rajasthan. Later, he fell out with her but got protection from the Party high command in Delhi and brought to Lok Sabha in 2014.

In any case, Maharashtra's Manohar Joshi of the Shiv Sena was appointed Speaker in his first term in the Lok Sabha in the year 2002. Joshi succeeded Speaker G.M.C. Balayogi of the TDP, who was was appointed Speaker in his second term as MP. Balayogi had died in a helicopter crash.

Insiders in the BJP say that Om Birla is close to the BJP chief Amit Shah who is also Union Home Minister.

In fact, the decision to make Om Birla as Speaker was announced not by the party but his wife Dr Amita Birla who had gone with her husband to congratulate J P Nadda for assuming the charge of Working President of the party.

It was she who confirmed his nomination.

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