Fly on the wall | Pawar’s mysterious Silence in Rajya Sabha

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Pawar’s mysterious Silence in Rajya Sabha

The entire political class is baffled about the mysterious silence of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar when the Rajya Sabha discussed three farm laws for days together. It was expected that the tallest farmer leader from Baramati who was UPA’s Agriculture Minister for ten long years, will put the record straight. If a leader of his stature had spoken, farmers and the government would have listened to him. He is perhaps the only one who could have told the farmers to end the agitation as farm laws had been stayed for 18 months and has the stature to tell the government also to mend fences and find a way out. After all, it was Pawar who had brought many agricultural reforms during his tenure at the Centre and earlier in Maharashtra. Pawar was very much stationed in Delhi during the session of Parliament. But he maintained a mysterious silence in Rajya Sabha and chose to field Praful Patel instead. Though former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda who takes pride in calling himself “poor farmer from Karnataka” spoke in Rajya Sabha. But he has lost his rhythm and touch. Pawar could have made the difference. But he looked the other way. Why?? No answers are coming from the NCP.

Why PM is angry with Babus?

Ever since Modi came to power in 2014, the Babus are the worst sufferers. Gone are the days when they used to rule the roost and ministers used to eat out of their hands. In some of the ministries, the bureaucrats used to work as brokers between private players and politicians to reap the harvest. They were partying in 5 star hotels, playing golf, coming to the office at will etc. PM Modi talked of this Lutyens Delhi culture in 2014. Since then, Modi has been tightening the noose and Babus are now a nameless & faceless class. The Lutyens’ Delhi does not recognize when PM’s Principal Secretary PK Mishra takes a walk in the Lodhi Gardens. Modi wants to end Babus direct interaction with the businessmen completely and doggedly pursuing ‘faceless’ resolution of grievances. The Babus were crestfallen when Modi had a dig at them in the Lok Sabha saying they are not experts to run airlines, chemical or companies and everything. No PM has questioned their ability to deliver. Obviously, Modi was peeved that Babus are creating one hurdle after the other in the implementation of his policies. He blames them for sabotaging his vigorous divestment program and mobilizing Rs two lakh crores by selling PSUs. Modi feels Babus are to be blamed for it and gave them public bashing. Modi is now hoping for a Bonanza this year.

Rahul calling shots, G-23 crest fallen

Rahul Gandhi is neither Congress president nor Parliamentary Party leader. He has declared he won’t hold any post and rather no Gandhi will hold it either. But he continues to call the shots in the party, Parliament and makes no bones about it. He doesn’t mince words and is rather ruthless in getting things done. The Group of 23 dissident leaders had thought that he would be conciliatory to them after Priyanka Gandhi’s meetings with Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma. Both are part of G-23 letter writers. But their hopes were dashed when Sonia Gandhi sent a letter appointing Mallikarjun Kharge as Leader of Opposition in place of Ghulam Nabi Azad three days before his retirement. It sent Anand Sharma sulking who was in the race for the top post. The shocker came when Nana Patole was appointed as Maharashtra PCC chief. Now the word is that Patole may be given a ministerial berth making one of the Congress ministers resigning. The issue was broached when Patole met Rahul in Delhi. It is said that one Congress minister will quit to make room for Patole. No final word has emanated from 12 Tughlaq Road, the official residence of Rahul Gandhi in this regard. K C Venugopal is gradually replacing late Ahmad Patel in AICC.

The lone winner

The NaMo administration cleared 26 IAS officers of 1988 & 1989 batch to be promoted as Secretary and 14 as Secretary Equivalent. Maharashtra was lucky as Rajesh Agrawal was the lone officer figuring in the list of 40. But he too was made Secretary Equivalent and not as full secretary. Not a good sign for the richest and one of the largest states.

Pawar, Stalin, nixed Congress proposals - Lokmat Exclusive

Sonia wanted "physical not virtual" meeting with PM 

All-party meeting on China

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

New Delhi, June 20

No Opposition party leader supported the idea floated by the Congress that the Prime Minister should hold a face-to-face meeting rather than “virtual meeting.” The Congress wanted the PM should call leaders physically for effective interaction on thorny Galwan Valley crisis.

But no one agreed. Nationalist Congress president Sharad Pawar rejected the proposal out-right saying “virtual meeting is as good as physical meeting in the times of Covid.”

A senior NCP leader, on the condition of anonymity told Lokmat that Pawar Saheb reminded that Sonia Gandhi had herself held a virtual meeting with 22 leaders on May 22.

CPI’s Secretary D Raja told Lokmat over the phone confirmed saying, “I personally had no objection to the physical meeting. But other leaders were perhaps not willing,” he said.

DMK leader M K Stalin did not agree either. It transpires that a top aide of Sonia Gandhi contacted leaders personally after the government initiated move to hold the meeting on June 19. But there was no positive response from leading parties.

It also transpires that they were also uncomfortable with the very line the Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi had taken on the Indo-China violent clashes.

This was reflected in the meeting yesterday where a combative Sonia Gandhi raised several tough questions and accused the government of many failed opportunities. Sonia spoke first and wanted to set the tone immediately after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar made the presentation tracing the history of conflict.

But she stood virtually isolated as neither Sharad Pawar and nor DMK supported her line of attack. Pawar said, “issues such as whether soldiers carried arms are decided by international agreements, and everyone should respect such sensitive matters.” Obviously, he was distancing himself from Rahul Gandhi line. Stalin also supported the government on the issue including most Opposition parties.

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.

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Sena, NCP lent helping hand to Govt. in Rajya Sabha

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Special report

Sena, NCP lent helping hand to Govt. in Rajya Sabha

Their 5 MPs absented from voting on CAB 

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Dec 12

The Shiv Sena may be stoutly opposing the BJP and accusing its policies left, right and center. But when it comes to voting against the ruling BJP's bills, the Sena has different yardstick. All three members of the Shiv Sena in the Rajya Sabha – Sanjay Raut, Anil Desai and Rajkumar Dhoot walked out of the Rajya Sabha when the Citizenship Amendment Bill (Bill), 2019 was put to vote. The Shiv Sena voted for the bill in the Lok Sabha and took a 180 degree turn when Congress threatened to pull the plugs on the Uddhav Thackeray government in Maharashtra. They all walked out and helped in different way to get the CAB passed by a massive margin. The CAB was passed by the RS by 125 to 99 though the NDA's official strength was only 99. It mustered 26 extra votes despite four of its own supporting MPs were absent due to severe health reasons.

As if this was not enough, two senior leaders of the NCP- Majeed Memon and Vandana Chavan – were also absent when the CAB was put to vote in Rajya Sabha last night. Though Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel were present but the two other members ensured their absence paving the way CAB's smooth passage.

Two members of the Bahujan Samaj Party out of the four were also absent without any explanation and same was case with the K D Singh of the TMC who “suddenly developed high BP.” The TMC leadership is considering to issue him with a show cause notice. Beni Prasad Verma of the Samajwadi Party was also absent in the Rajya Sabha. One member of the Congress Party Mukut Mithi also absented at the time of voting.

There are 240 members in Rajya Sabha at present with five vacancies. The AIADMK (11), Biju Janata Dal (7), TDP (2) and several others lent the helping hand to the BJP in smooth passage of the bill. But the chinks were exposed in the Opposition camp making the PM Modi and Amit Shah to smile.

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No Early Cabinet Expansion in Maharashtra ?

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

special report

No Early Cabinet Expansion in Maharashtra ?

New inductions after Nagpur session  

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Dec 1

The suspense over estranged nephew Ajit Pawar’s induction into the Uddhav Thackeray government will continue for some more time. It transpires that the next expansion of the Maharashtra Cabinet will take place only after the Nagpur session of the State Assembly. The Session is likely to be held between December 16 to 21.

Sources say that the top leadership of the alliance partners comprising of NCP Chief Sharad Pawar, Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray and Congress leaders felt that the next expansion be held only after the Nagpur session of the Assembly. The induction of ministers from all the three parties and a couple of others may wait as Uddhav wants to initiate a series of steps for the welfare of the people immediately.

The two core committees – one for the Cabinet and the other for alliance partners – are also to be set up first so that better coordination could be evolved at all levels.

Secondly, Ajit Pawar continues to have certain reservations and wants more time to settle down in the new situation. He plans to visit his constituency.

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No Early Cabinet Expansion in Maharashtra ?

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

special report

No Early Cabinet Expansion in Maharashtra ?

New inductions after Nagpur session  

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Dec 1

The suspense over estranged nephew Ajit Pawar’s induction into the Uddhav Thackeray government will continue for some more time. It transpires that the next expansion of the Maharashtra Cabinet will take place only after the Nagpur session of the State Assembly. The Session is likely to be held between December 16 to 21.

Sources say that the top leadership of the alliance partners comprising of NCP Chief Sharad Pawar, Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray and Congress leaders felt that the next expansion be held only after the Nagpur session of the Assembly. The induction of ministers from all the three parties and a couple of others may wait as Uddhav wants to initiate a series of steps for the welfare of the people immediately.

The two core committees – one for the Cabinet and the other for alliance partners – are also to be set up first so that better coordination could be evolved at all levels.

Secondly, Ajit Pawar continues to have certain reservations and wants more time to settle down in the new situation. He plans to visit his constituency.

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NCP-Congress form 10-member Committee

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Lokmat Exclusive

NCP-Congress form 10-member Committee

Coordination Committee to prepare CMP by Friday

Talks with Sena to begin on Sunday

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Nov. 19

The process for installing the non-BJP government in Maharashtra moved further with the NCP and Congress parties agreeing to constitute 10-member coordination committee.

The committee will comprise five members each from both the parties. The first meeting between leaders of the two parties will be held tomorrow in Delhi.

Praful Patel, party general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP told Lokmat today that the two parties will prepare a Common Minimum Program (CMP) first. When asked why the two parties need a CMP, he said the two parties had contested on their own manifesto separately though they were partners. “We have to hammer out a our own CMP and then we will talk to Shiv Sena to evolve a CMP of the three parties,” he added.

He said this decision was taken when Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and NCP chief Sharad Pawar held a meeting on Monday.

Bala Saheb Thorat, president of the Maharashtra Congress, Ashok Chavan, Prithviraj Chavan, Mallikarjun Kharge and one more leader may represent the Congress Party at the coordination committee.

Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel, Jayant Patil, Sunil Tatkare and others.

Sonia Gandhi and Sharad Pawar reported to have informally decided that the Congress-NCP CMP will be prepared within the next three days and then the talks with Shiv Sena will be held on the CMP of three parties.

Since Uddhav Thackeray has already cancelled his visit to Ayodhya on November 24 and has also called off his visit to Delhi to meet L K Advani, it indicates that he is now moving towards NCP-Congress to form an alternative government in Maharashtra minus BJP.

Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari had invited Sena and NCP to prove its ability to form the government, failing which the President's Rule was imposed in the state on November 12. The assembly is in suspended animation. But can be revived anytime within six month if any of the parties stake claim to form the government.

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Twin challenges for Opposition Search for new name as UPA Is Dead

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Twin challenges for Opposition

Search for new name as UPA Is Dead

Pre-poll alliance not easy

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Feb 20

Intense parleys are on among the leaders of the Opposition parties whether to form a pre-poll alliance and give a new nomenclature to such a front.

Most parties who met at the residence of NCP leader Sharad Pawar last week,were of the view that instead of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), a new name be coined to show-case unity of the Opposition. A senior leader even suggested that the UPA be renamed as ‘People’s Progressive Alliance' (PPA). But there was no unanimity. Pawar reminded that he was the first to form the Progressive Democratic Front (PDF) in Maharashtra 40 years ago.

The leaders were also receptive to TMC leader Mamata Banerjee's idea that a pre-poll alliance be formed. But a Congress leader sarcastically said that all Opposition parties should speak in one voice irrespective of the formation of a pre-poll alliance. The leaders were clearly of the view that in the absence of a pre-poll alliance, the President of India will have a leeway to use his discretion to invite leader of the single largest party in the Lok Sabha after the polls to form the government.

While the task for evolving a consensus among the parties was entrusted to NCP leader Sharad Pawar, the Congress was sounded out to prepare the Common Minimum Program (CMP) of all like-minded parties.

Mamata Banerjee has the difficult task to create unity of the Opposition parties in West bengal first where her party is biggest in the alliance. The Congress leadership felt that she was trying to rather weaken the backbone of the party in West Bengal by luring its MLAs and sitting Lok Sabha MP s to TMC. “She should herself stop poaching our MLAs and Mps”, said a senior leader.

There is a possibility that a crucial meeting of the Opposition parties may be held either on February 25-26 or after the Congress Working Committee. The CWC is meeting in Gujrat on February 28 where the draft manifesto of the Congress and CMP would be discussed. TMC has also asked rebel BJP leader and former Union minister Yashwant Sinha to draft CMP for a discussion.

The pre-poll alliance has serious problems as major parties such as SP, BSP, AAP etc won't be in it. Some regional parties would not join the front either. Even TMC is unwilling to accommodate Congress in West Bengal.

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Special Report 

Mahagathbandhan is Dead, Long Live Gathbandhan

Pawar tells Rahul: No Opposition conclaves, state-level rallies only

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Jan 14

It is now gradually becoming clear that there will be no “Grand Alliance” (Mahagathbandhan) of 22 Opposition parties at the national level. There will be no joint rallies or joint campaigning in states by top leaders of Opposition parties.

Highly placed sources say the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar has suggested that it would be better to avoid holding joint rallies of Opposition leaders across the country. Rather, the parties should concentrate in states and constituencies wherever they are strong to work together and ensure the victory of their respective candidates. The joint rallies should be held only at the state level wherever needed and whenever required.

Sharad Pawar was at pains to explain to the Congress president Rahul Gandhi that the BJP would like to make this Lok Sabha polls as “Modi VS All” and paint a holier than thou image. The images of 22 leaders coming together at some recent conclaves to oust PM Modi should be avoided, at least for now.

The recent successes of low-key low-voltage campaigns in byelections and Assembly polls exposed the chinks in the BJP's armoury.

Rahul Gandhi had met Sharad Pawar at least four times and during one of the recent interactions, the veteran NCP leader felt that instead of “Grand alliance” the focus should be on “alliances in states” only.

Since Congress and NCP have already clinched an alliance in Maharashtra in-principle, its time to clinch alliances in other states too. The Congress Party has clinched an in-principle alliance in Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir. Though there is no state-level alliance in UP with SP and BSP, these leaders feel that this was more a tactical move than keeping Congress in check. This move is aimed at keeping the entire Upper castes votes going over to the BJP in UP. There will be more localised adjustment of seats in UP wherever required, a source said.

The Congress has to sort out its problem in West Bengal where its in a dilemma whether to go it alone or with the CPM or Mamata Banerjee. It also has to overcome teething problems in states like Gujrat and in Karnataka where it has formed government with the Janata Dal (S). It is also facing problems in alliances/adjustment/understanding in Delhi, Punjab etc. with AAP.

It is in this context that Pawar suggested that no nation wide joint rallies or conclaves be held and such campaigns be confined to states only. Though Sharad Pawar was not immediately available for comments, senior NCP leader Praful Patel said its time to consolidate the gains and discussions on these lines have been held. He refused to say anything further on the issue.

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Congress-NCP seal Maharashtra seat sharing pact

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Lokmat Exclusive report

Congress-NCP seal Maharashtra seat sharing pact

Both parties to contest 24 seats each

CPM, Raju Shetty, Ambedkar, others to chip in

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Jan 3

The Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have sealed the Lok Sabha seats sharing deal under which both parties will contest 24 seats each.

The two parties sealed the deal yesterday evening when Ashok Chavan, PCC president and Sharad Pawar, NCP president held a prolonged meeting. Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Congress Party in Lok Sabha and incharge of Maharashtra affairs was also in loop. The Congress Core committee which also met last night approved the deal in principle. The two parties were wrangling over the deal for the past few weeks as the Congress wanted to contest 26 out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats as was the case in 2014 leaving 22 for the NCP.

However, Congress president Rahul Gandhi had authorised Sharad Pawar to sort out all pending issues in the state relating to seat sharing. Rahul Gandhi had met Pawar at least four times during the past five months.

Pawar had been talking to all like-minded parties in Maharashtra to stitch a mega alliance in Maharashtra including RPI (Ambedkar), CPM, BAV, BSP and Raju Shetty

An indication of clinching of the deal was available today at the mega conclave of the Opposition parties who met the Gurudwara Rakabganj Road residence of NCP senior leader Praful Patel.

Sharad Pawar indicated today the seat sharing formula has been evolved and both the parties will share seats to other parties from their own quota.

When Asked Parful Patel confirmed that the deal has been clinched and its only a matter of time when formal announcement will be made.

Those who attended the conclave at Parful Patel's residence included Sitaram Yechury (CPM), Satish Mishra (BSP), Ram Gopal Yadav (SP), Dereck O'brian (TMC), Ahmad Patel (Congress), S Raja (CPI), Kanimauzhi (DMK), Misa Bharti (RJD), Dr Farooq Abdullah (JK-NC) and others were present. The luncheon conclave gave a clue that Opposition unity in most of the states is progressing well. However, the leaders of the Opposition parties are refusing to call it a “Mahagathbandhan.”

ends

PM, Pawar shedding weight, politicians gearing up to be physically fit before polls

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Special Report 

PM, Pawar shedding weight

politicians gearing up to be physically fit before polls

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Dec. 25

Come elections and leaders are working hard to lose weight. With elections are just 100 days away, top leaders of various political parties are doing everything under the Sun to lose weight. The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi is working very hard to shed weight and succeeded losing only three kg. Though he has a gym at his South Block office, he doesn't find time to do it regularly. Yet, he tries hard and do a lots of exercises under a trainer from a para military force. In a month, the PM is able to use the gym for 15 days only. He wants to lose another 7 kg before the parliamentary polls are announced.

The lead has been taken by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who has shed 20 kg weight. Though he underwent a series of surgeries during the past two years including kidney transplant. But he is very strict with his diet and now fully fit and regained a lot of energy.

Another politician who has shed 15 kg weight is NCP president and Rajya Sabha MP Sharad Pawar. He is determined to loose fat and flab. He is undergoing rigorous physical exercises. He has become agile and walking briskly these days.

HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar has installed his own treadmill at his residence and a regular at the Constitution Club of India gym. Environment and Science & technology Minister Harsh Wardhan is also gym regular. Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh is regular at the Lodhi Gardens and so is parliamentary minister of state Vijay Goel. The number of politicians joining the CCI gym is rising and reflects growing awareness among them.

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Top Opposition leaders to attend swearing-in-ceremonies tomorrow

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Top Opposition leaders to attend swearing-in-ceremonies tomorrow

AAP to join the G-21 celebrations 

Rahul, Manmohan Singh, Sharad Pawar, Naidu, Kumaraswamy, Stalin to attend

Sonia to skip, Mayawati to send representative to Bhopal only  

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Dec. 16

The swearing-in-ceremonies of three Congress Chief Ministers at Jaipur, Bhopal & Raipur tomorrow will herald a new era in Opposition unity when leaders of G-21 parties will travel to all three destinations. The G-21 is nick-named as the group of 21 Opposition parties who have come together to dislodge the NDA from the centre in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls. Significantly, the untouchable Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has been formally invited by the Congress to witness the swearing-in-ceremonies. Andhra Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and JD (S) leader and Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy along with his father H D Deve Gowda will attend the swearing-in-ceremony at all the three places.

As per plans, Ashok Gehlot will take oath of office tomorrow at 10.30 at Jaipur while Kamal Nath will be sworn in at 1.30 pm at Bhopal. Bhupesh Baghel will take oath at Raipur at 4.30 or 5 pm. Congress president Rahul Gandhi and former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh along with many opposition leaders including Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel, CPM's Sitaram Yechury, D Raja of CPI and others will fly in a chartered aircraft to all three destinations. Mayawati of BSP has expressed her inability to witness any swearing-in-ceremony. Following her was SP's Akhilesh Singh Yadav who will stay put in Lucknow. But both the parties will send their representatives to Bhopal where they have extended unconditional support.

Sonia Gandhi will not attend any of the swearing-in-ceremonies either due to health reasons. But M K Stalin of the DMK will join the events. All Congress Chief Ministers including Capt Amrinder Singh and other leaders will also be in toe there.

The Congress wants to show case the swearing-in- ceremonies as the victory of the Opposition parties and trying hard that BSP and SP should join the governments. 

ends  

Pawar throws Maharashtra bait to Mayawati

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Exclusive report 

Pawar throws Maharashtra bait to Mayawati

Wants her to be Dalit face in the state

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, July 31

A new political script is being written in Maharashtra by NCP president Sharad Pawar and if it goes as per plans, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati will play a crucial role in the months to come in the state.

The possibilities of Sharad Pawar and Mayawati holding their first joint rally in the Vidharbha region are being explored. The broad contours of this proposal were discussed between Sharad Pawar and Mayawati when the two met last week here. In fact, Sharad Pawar took an unusual step when he decided to drive down to the Gurudwara Rakabganj office of Bahujan Samaj Party to meet Mayawati. Details of this 60-minute meeting are now surfacing slowly and Sharad Pawar is keen to mobilise the Dalits in Maharashtra in a big way.

The NCP supremo is of the considered view that the Republican Party of India has split into various factions and have lost their credibility with the voters in the state. Another prominent Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar is unwilling to join the Congress-NCP alliance in the state, though efforts were made by the NCP leadership in this regard. Though his own base has dwindled considerably, he is still a respectable face. But his unwillingness forced Sharad Pawar to look for alternatives.

It was in this context that Sharad Pawar decided to talk to Mayawati if she was keen to play a major role by joining the mega alliance of the NCP and Congress. Mayawati's BSP has strong pockets of influence in the Vidharbha region and other areas too. This major vote bank can be channelized if Mayawati is introduced as part of the alliance and give a major fillip to the anti-BJP vote bank. The consolidation of Dalits would be possible as Mayawati is emerging as their national face.

It is not clear whether Sharad Pawar discussed the new role of Mayawati in Maharashtra with the Congress or not. But Rahul Gandhi had held three rounds of talks with Sharad Pawar and discussed alliances across the country. On all the occasions, Rahul Gandhi drove down to the residence of Sharad Pawar. But when it came to Mayawati, the Maratha leader chose to visit her and wants her to seal alliances early. Pawar's bait to Mayawati to play a crucial role in Maharashtra is tempting as Mayawati is working hard to expand her base outside UP. Pawar was not available for comments and Mayawati is always elusive.

Ends

Fly on the Wall : How Piyush Goyal took G K Pillai to task !

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

How Piyush Goyal took G K Pillai to task !

The mighty chairman of the Duty Drawback Committee of the Finance Ministry, G K Pillai had a taste of interim Finance Minister Piyush Goyal recently. It was a Sunday when Goyal summoned a meeting in his office to resolve the long-pending issue of refunds to garment exporters. Textiles Minister Smriti Irani was also called in along with top officials and exporters to long pending problem. It emerged during the meeting that the issue is to resolved by the G K Pillai Committee and its report is awaited. “So all of you are suffering because the report is pending ?” wondered Goyal as top Finance ministry officials nodded in affirmative. Goyal asked for Pillai's mobile and dialed himself. When Pillai picked up the phone, he told Goyal that he was driving the car. Goyal politely requested him to park the car on the roadside as he wants to discuss something important. Remember Pillai has been a very seasoned bureaucrat and was Commerce & Home secretary. He was appointed by Arun jaitley as chairman of the committee to resolve the problem of garment exporters whose duty drawback to the tune of Rs 6000 crores is held up. Goyal asked him if it would be possible for him to submit the report within the next ten days. Pillai was taken aback but promised to do so. Before GST was introduced, garment exporters used to get refunds ranging from 2.9% to 3.9% of the freight-on-board value of products. Since most of the state levies, including central sales tax, have been scrapped in the GST regime, the government decided to reduce it to an interim rate of 0.39% (up to September 2017). But exporters protested saying why shall they be penalized. In fact, they wanted input tax credit on the GST paid on job work and stock transfer where drawback isn’t available. The interim report came and within days, Goyal gave the much-needed relief earning laurels from the industry. The industry watchers say it is unusual for the ministers in the Modi government to function in this manner.

Pawar's pep-talk to Rahul

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has found virtues in NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and is a frequent caller whenever both are in town. Last week, Rahul drove to Pawar's Akbar Road residence and held a marathon on prevailing political situation in the country. The meeting was kept a closely guarded secret and even after the event became public, no one had a clue as to what transpired between the two. The Fly learns that Maharashtra was on the table and Rahul wanted to pick Pawar's brain on prevailing political situation in the country and how things are moving. It was at this juncture that Pawar reported to have suggested that Congress being the leading Opposition party should take the lead in sealing alliances in states. Pawar also said that a victory here should not bring in complacency. The unity is required in Opposition ranks from top to bottom and effective synergy is needed at the booth level. Pawar also told Rahul that Modi is capable of springing a surprise on the Opposition by advancing Lok Sabha polls to November-December. If the alliances and adjustments of seats are sealed in time, it will help the entire Opposition to take on the NDA in time. While the Congress-NCP have agreed in principle to contest Lok Sabha polls in alliance in Maharashtra, the Congress is taking its own sweat time in clinching such arrangements in other major states.

KejriCare VS ModiCare

While Most of the states have fallen in line and agreed to implement the ModiCare scheme, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has stood his grounds. He says that his Health for All scheme is far more superior than the one proposed by Modi government's much-touted ModiCare. Kejriwal says he doesn't need health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakhs per year per family at a premium of Rs 1000-1050. Why bring in insurance companies when the Delhi government directly provides health facilities to all ?. He has trashed the Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM) scheme as middlemen and touts will benefit. He claimed that the Delhi government's DAK (Delhi Arogya Kosh) highly successful and benefiting the citizens of the Capital in a big way. Its a unique scheme under which all kinds of diagnostic tests and treatment and medicines are free once a doctor of Delhi government hospital recommends. Even the treatment/hospitalization in free. The Delhi government has agreements with 25 Delhi private hospitals and diagnostic centers where patients don't have to pay and all expenses will be paid for by the government directly. Kejriwal says ModiCare should adopt KejriCare.

Mayawati wants pan-India alliance with Congress

The Congress leadership is Madhya Pradesh- Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia- have issued public statements favouring an alliance with the BSP in the Assembly polls. Similar sentiments have been expressed by the Congress leadership in Chhattisgarh too. But Mayawati is keeping quiet and has not uttered a word. She is talking to all the parties all the time but not the Congress. She clinched an alliance with H D Deve Gowda's JD (S) in Karnataka and opened her account. The JD (S) is willing to contest Lok Sabha polls in alliance with BSP as well. The photo ops at Benguluru where Sonia Gandhi and Mayawati hugging may have gone viral. But there is no alliance/adjustment of seats talks between the Congress and Mayawati so far. Both are keen and waiting who to bell the cat. Mayawati, however, has signaled that she would like to have pan-India alliance with Congress not only in UP but also in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh. She even wants a pie in Gujrat and Karnataka too. If she wants three seats each in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi, she is eyeing four Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra and five in Madhya Pradesh besides two each in Chhattisgarh and Gujrat. The Congress wants 20 Lok Sabha seats in UP and Mayawati is not willing to give more than 5-7 seats. Therefore, the situation is very fluid and no one is willing to initiate a dialogue.

Fly on the Wall : Cabinet reshuffle round the corner !

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Cabinet reshuffle round the corner !

BJP's senior general secretary Ram Madhav may have missed the Rajya Sabha bus. But the speed with which the party gave him charge of Andhra Pradesh is an indication that BJP is working on a counter-offensive in the state. It transpires that Andhra BJP Chief K Haribabu may be brought in the Union Cabinet to represent the state as it has no representation after the exit of the TDP. There is also a proposal to bring in D Pruandhareswari, daughter of late N T Rama Rao who had joined the BJP long back. Since she was against Chandra Babu Naidu she failed to grow in the BJP. But her stars are shining now with the BJP parting company with the TDP. The party also brought in GVL Narasimha Rao into the Rajya Sabha who hails from Andhra. Party insiders say that the Cabinet reshuffle will take place after the Karnataka Assembly polls and some grass root leaders may be brought in the Cabinet in the wake of mounting pressure from certain states. A large number of ministers have been holding dual charge and since Lok Sabha polls are only a year away, Cabinet expansion has to take place for political balancing.

How Yogi was put in his place

It has now emerged that UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was denied the privilege of choosing a candidate of his choice from Gorakhpur lok Sabha seat. There is no denying the fact that last minute unity between the two arch rivals – SP & BSP- had surprised the BJP and situation was uncomfortable. Yogi wanted the party high command to give ticket a person of his choice. Instead, the high command sought three names from him. The Yogi sent the names but insisted that his first preference be accommodated. But to his surprise, state incharge of BJP Sunil Bansal recommended the name of Upendra Dutt Shukla. It transpires that same thing happened in Phulpur where Sunil Bansal vetoed the recommendation of Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya. Insiders in the BJP say that the party's defeat served two political purposes; first being that Yogi who was flying high, has been grounded. “A person who cannot retain his own home constituency, how can he be brought in to the Parliamentary Board?” said a senior functionary. The BJP's parliamentary board has one vacancy after the elevation of M Venkiah Naidu as Vice President.

Jaitley's tough conditions delay Kejri apology

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is making frantic efforts to persuade Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to accept his unconditional apology and close the defamation case. It transpires that AAP's newly elected Rajya Sabha MP N D Gupta who is a noted chartered accountant, has held several meetings with Jaitley to sort out the problem. But Jaitley is in no mood as arguments in the trial court had been completed and judgment is awaited. Secondly, Jaitley is reported to have put some stiff conditions such as that Kejriwal should apologise from the same public platform which was used to make allegations against him and his daughter. Jaitley doesn't want merely written apology but a public apology on TV channels and at a public meeting. Jaitey is no Nitin Gadkari or Punjab Akali Dal leader Majithia who accepted Kejriwal's apology meekly. The last word on Jaitley-Kejri saga is yet to be written.

What's cooking between Rahul & Sharad Pawar ?

Congress president Rahul Gandhi is batting on the front foot and calling on party leaders seeking their cooperation. If sources are to be believed, he has spoken to most of the Opposition leaders over the phone including Mamata Banerjee, Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav, Sharad Yadav, Sitaram Yechury and others. But he held long parleys with Sharad Pawar seeking his cooperation and understand shape of things to come. It is clear that Congress-NCP will contest the Lok Sabha polls together and Pawar gave an in-principle approval for the same in Maharashtra. Both the parties will revert to the same seat-sharing arrangement that existed between the two parties before they parties company in 2014. The Chief Minister will be from the Congress party while NCP will have the post of Deputy Chief Minister in the event of alliance winning the state. The contours of alliance will be decided at a later date. But Rahul wanted Pawar to prevent division of Opposition votes in the states and expressed Congress willingness to make sacrifices.

No UPA type front in the offing

Sonia Gandhi may be holding parleys with the Opposition leaders over dinners. There may also be a talk that Sonia Gandhi may form a front of like-minded parties on the pattern of United Progressive Alliance (UPA). But Rahul Gandhi is in no hurry to create such a front. Rahul Gandhi feels that no such front is needed at this juncture and Opposition parties should work quietly. Secondly, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is working over-time to create a third front and speaking to regional satraps. While Sharad Pawar sees the light once again at the end of the tunnel in 2019 polls in the emergence of a third front. But having burnt his fingers in the past, he is sitting pretty and trying to expand NCP's base outside Maharashtra. For him, Maharashtra is the key and other states are a bonus. But Mamata Banerjee is banking on Pawar to create a third front as Mulayam Singh Yadav has been pushed into the background by his son who is busy in stitching alliance with Mayawati in UP. Akhilesh Yadav has signaled that Congress cannot be given more than 8-10 Lok Sabha seat in any seat-sharing arrangement for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The RLD may get 2-3 Lok Sabha seats while one seat may be spared for Sharad Yadav.

Two hour delay caused a flutter in HRD ministry

No one was in doubt that all the sitting eight Union Ministers will be re-nominated to the Rajya Sabha. But things didn't happen as contemplated. When general secretary incharge of BJP's Parliamentary Board and Union health Minister J P Nadda issued a press release at 9 pm, it contained the names of only seven ministers re-nominated to the Rajya Sabha. The name of savvy HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar was missing from the official press release. All hell broke and frantic calls were made to inquire about the fate of Javadekar. There was no response as to who will dare ask the PM or the BJP president Amit Shah. However, within two hours, second press release was issued announcing the name of Javadekar from Maharashtra. He was told that the party delayed the announcement as it was in the process of deciding whether he should be sent to UP or his home state of Maharashtra. However, the two hour gap was enough to cause a political flutter.

Pawar daydreaming on mid-term poll in Maha

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Pawar day dreaming about mid-term poll in Maharashtra

BJP not worried about Sena

Amit Shah confident SS will vote for BJP presidential candidate

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, June 7

The BJP high command dismissed senior NCP leader Sharad Pawar’s view that Maharashtra is heading towards a mid-term poll.

“Pawar Saheb is day-dreaming. His party is looking for a role in the state and at the Centre. He thinks that Shiv Sena will desert BJP and there will be political role for his party. But nothing of this kind will happen,” said a senior general secretary of the party on the condition of not being quoted.

The general secretary said Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is handling the state in perfectly. If he has taken a decision to announce the package sometime in October, it is largely because the Monsoon is about to set in the state. It is expected that immediate problems of the farmers would be resolved and a fair assessment will be made about the compensation to them only after the Monsoon.

  

The BJP leader said  that Pawar is a worried man because the probe agencies continue to go after cases of corruption. The Enforcement Directorate had already gone after Ajit Pawar and the CBI registered an FIR in the aircraft purchase case during UPA regime.

With regard to relations with Shiv Sena, BJP president Amit Shah had told a small group of journalists last week that relations with the ally are cordial.

Amit Shah had said the allies do have their own views on certain issues. The Shiv Sena is an ally at the Centre and in the state and he had not heard anything that they have  changein a democratic set up, an ally is free to express its view and it will be seriously looked into.

The BJP leadership is confident that Shiv Sena will vote for the party’s Presidential this time. It may be mentioned that the Shiv Sena did not vote for the BJP candidate during the two previous Presidential elections. But the Modi-Amit Shah team is confident that Sena will vote for the BJP candidate.

"A" in politics but low in Economics

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

In democracy, completion of three years in power is a time for perturbation as that’s when the curse of “anti-incumbency” sets in.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is an exception. Into his fourth year in power, there is hardly any popular disgruntlement against his incumbency. It was evident in the assembly election in Uttar Pradesh last March when the BJP under Modi and party president Amit Shah succeeded in pulverising the ruling Samajwadi Party much to the same extent to which the saffron party had steamrolled its rivals in the mega-state in the 2014 general elections.

By now, BJP is armed with an election machinery which is unparalleled. Its leadership’s ardour to win every poll is legendary. And for the party, the importance of the year 2019, when Modi’s second innings in power is expected to begin, is underlined. At least this is the impression one gets after talking to a number of Opposition leaders. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s statement that he is not in the race for the Prime Minister’s post and veteran politician Sharad Pawar is not ready to play ball with the Congress clearly give the impression that they are unwilling to fight with Modi.  

It is obvious that BJP is shining in the absence of competition. Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee, CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechuri—all of them seem trapped in a single strategic silo to combat Modi, which is to “unite” the opposition. The Presidential poll, due in July, can be the first test of unity. But that’s most likely to be fighting a losing battle, as there are unbridgeable fissures in the opposition—Mamata Vs CPM, AAP’s Kejriwal Vs Congress, Samajwadi Party Vs BSP’s Mayawati. Beside, Modi’s inclusive style of campaigning has gravely challenged the traditional parties’ vote-banks. Mayawati’s Jatav, Mulayam Singh Yadav’s once famous Muslim (M)-Yadav (Y) amalgam, Delhi’s Bihari immigrant voters loyal to AAP—recent elections show that the lure of Modi’s “mitron” call brought about seemingly irreparable cracks in these traditional alliances.

Besides, the opposition is bereft of tall leaders. Unlike its UPA predecessor, the Modi administration is not protective about politicians involved in graft cases. Instead, its in-the-face attitude has dragooned most opposition stalwarts in cases from which escape is not guaranteed. Like Laloo and his family members in money-laundering charges; Congress former Home and Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and his son, Karti, in the allegation of siphoning off huge amounts to acquire, among other things, large property in Britain; most of Mamata’s ministers and party leaders waiting to be picked up by CBI on the charge of accepting bribe as shown in the ‘Narada’ sting operation. In the National Herald illegal share-transfer case, the noose may also tighten on Sonia Gandhi and her son, Rahul, the Congress vice-president.

The opposition calls it “witch hunt” but its voice is feeble, with the media prone to self-censorship, and the government, armed with summary provision under Sec 124A of the IPC, being empowered to swoop down on its critics in the social media on the charge of being ‘seditious’. Besides, hit by a blizzard of serious corruption charges, the opposition seems to have lost its moral heft to stand up and question the government. It is more serious than comparable global developments, like near-evaporation of the Labour Party in UK, or the US Democratic Party being in eclipse. Unlike these mature democracies, the Indian opposition parties are personality-based and not much remains of them when the central towering figure collapses.

Though Modi’s political victory so far is undeniable, there are signs of weariness in governance and vision. In 2014, he promised: “I will make such a wonderful India that all Americans will stand in line to get a visa for India”. Unfortunately, things have moved in a different direction. Somewhat embarrassingly, the government Central Statistics Office’s (CSO) figures of national income refuse to tally with estimates of industrial production. In the quarter covering demonetisation of large notes last November, the index of industrial production was flat but national income grew at 7%, like in magic. With large malls lying near-empty, or being converted to office space, a shortfall in demand is self-evident.

Behind decline in demand is the stark reality of job opportunities shrinking. It is not merely due to Donald Trump’s visa policy, or problems in the IT sector due to shifts in technology (entry of robots in workplaces, for example). There are other reasons too, such as:

·      India has 10 million new workers to the workforce annually, but available non-agricultural jobs are less than 5 per cent;

·      Poor education system has rendered most Indians unemployable, including 90 % of the 10 lakh engineers passing out every year;

·      China became the world’s factory in the 1980’s. Now protectionism rules the roost, with global trade remaining subdued at 2.7% in volume terms. India may not be able to do the China act.

·      CRISIL estimates 12 million people will join agricultural workforce between 2011-12 and 2018-19. But agri workers’ number is declining very fast. So the country cannot move up the value chain to become a modern nation.

·      Agriculture, construction, manufacturing—sectors that employ people are lagging GDP growth. Though agriculture production has shown improvement. But its after two years’ of consecutive drought. What have outpaced GDP growth are financial services, real estate, public administration, and trade, hotels and restaurants. Except the last, all other growing sectors have little job potential. The country is indeed experiencing jobless growth. In the proposed GST regime, the last two have been hit hard.

From the rough and tumble of electoral politics, can Modi take a creative leap to make India a hub of innovation and growth? In the next two years, he must prove he can think big on governance. Or else the queues in India for American visa will continue to be longer than the other way round.