All eyes on Gujrat’s three RS seats

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Special report

All eyes on Gujrat’s three RS seats

Anandiben Patel Vice President contender ?

  

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, March 31

  

The Capital is agog with intense speculation that BJP president Amit Shah and Anandiben Patel, former Gujrat Chief Minister may quit as MLA after the Presidential polls due to be held in July this year.

Since MLAs in states along with MPs constitute electorate college for the Presidential polls, both have chosen to stay put. But the moment presidential poll is over, they will quit. Interestingly, both will have their own reasons to quit their respective seats in the Gujrat Assembly.

Highly placed sources close to the BJP president say that Amit Shah will prefer to come to the Rajya Sabha in August when biennial polls for three RS seats will be held in Gujrat. BJP’s Smriti Irani, Union Textiles Minister, and Dilipbhai Pandya ill be completing their six year terms as MPs from Gujrat. Ahmad Patel of the Congress will also complete his term in the Rajya Sabha. Given the composition of the State Assembly, the BJP will be able to retain its two seats while the Congress will get one seat easily.

While Amit Shah coming to the Rajya Sabha is considered a foregone conclusion, it’s the second seat that has led to intense political speculation within the party. While a section of the BJP says that Anandiben Patel may be brought in Rajya Sabha for the second seat and get a Cabinet berth and Smriti Irani may move to UP to occupy the seat to be vacated by Manohar Parrikar who is now Chief Minister Goa. Parrikar is Rajya Sabha MP from UP at present.

But what has caused enormous interest in political circles is the talk that Anandiben Patel may even be brought in as Vice President of India. The BJP and NDA have a clear majority to get its own candidate elected as Vice President. Though various names are being mentioned for the post including that of M Venkiah Naidu, Minister for Urban Development, Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Speaker of the Lok Sabha Sumitra Mahajan, Social Justice Minister Thawar Chand Gahlot, P Sadasivam, former Chief Justice of India and Governor of Kerala and others. But Anandben Patel’s claim to the post is stronger compared to others, these sources say.

She was removed as Chief Minister and has been cooling her heels quietly for long. She herself is a Patidar and was considered to PM Modi who anointed her as his successor in Gujrat. Since Gujrat Assembly polls will be round the corner, her elevation will help the BJP during the elections as well.

Fate of 2 guvs uncertain

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

SPECIAL

Govt wants new faces in J&K, Arunchal

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Sept 9

The fate of two governors of border states – Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir – is uncertain now. But reasons for the delay in changing both the governors are different.

The delay in changing Arunachal Pradesh governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa is due to technical reasons as President Pranab Mukherjee has raised some issues with Union home minister Rajnath Singh. The home minister had called on the President on Wednesday to convey to him the intention of the government in removing Rajkhowa who had violated the spirit of the Constitution in handling the affairs of the state when it faced political crisis. 

The governor had come in for a rap from the Supreme Court as well. But the President is reported to have raised some important points. Firstly, the Union Cabinet had approved in toto whatever the governor had recommended then. Secondly, there has to be some reasons in writing from the government rather than simply asking the President to withdraw the governor at his pleasure.

The home minister is reported to have told the President that on one occasion Rajkhowa had misled even the PM when he had put some query. It's a lack of trust between the governor and government and his removal is the only way forward. It now transpires that an amicable way is being found to get rid of Rajkhowa.

Meanwhile, in changing or removing N N Vohra in Jammu & Kashmir, the situation is rather sensitive and ticklish as well. Vohra is a seasoned bureaucrat and there is nothing against him. But he is 80 years old and doesn't have new ideas given the alarming situation in the Valley. Modi government retained him for more than two years after coming to power. 

But it wants a new person in place of Vohra who was re-appointed as governor for second term in 2013. In a way, its more than eight years that he has been governor of the state. The Modi government is reported to have zeroed on Anil Baijal, former home secretary in the Vajpayee government, who is a seasoned bureaucrat as the new man in the Valley. The problem being faced is should Vohra be transferred or removed altogether.

It transpires that Rajnath Singh may have been asked by the Prime Minister to discuss with the President who is an experienced administrator and politician. It is pertinent to mention that Vohra was the first person without Army or intelligence background to occupy the gubernatorial post in the state after a gap of 18 years. Jagmohan was there for a brief period who demitted office in 1990 and was replaced by army & intelligence officers like former RAW chief Girish Chandra Saxena, Gen. K V Krishna Rao (retd) and Gen. S K Sinha.