After Maharashtra, Congress seals Bihar deal with RJD others

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

A Lokmat exclusive report

After Maharashtra, Congress seals Bihar deal with RJD others 

Kirti Azad, Shatrughan Sinha to quit BJP soon ?

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Jan. 10

After Maharashtra, its the turn of Bihar where Lok Sabha seat sharing arrangement by the Congress with its major allies has virtually been frozen.

Highly placed sources in the Congress say that Mahagathbandhan parties have come to an understanding that 40 Lok Sabha seats will be shared amongst the allies with the sole objective of defeating the BJP-JD(U)-LJP alliance.

Highly placed sources told Lokmat that the final announcement about seat sharing deal is likely to be made only after January 15-16.

The contours of alliances have been finalised after several parleys among the leaders in Delhi, Patna and Ranchi jail where Lalu is presently lodged. It transpires that it was Congress Rajya Sabha MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh who was a catalyst in the Opposition unity operation in Bihar. He was instrumental in bringing Upendra Kushwaha to the Opposition fold and made him quit the Modi government. It was Akhilesh who took Kushwaha to senior Congress leader Ahmad Patel and later Rahul Gandhi. He also arranged his meeting with Lalu in Ranchi jail. Sources say that the deal with Kushwaha was clinched assuring him of six seats. He had got five seats in the NDA though could win three only. He wanted six seats and Lalu agreed to give him the same. The Congress wants to contest 12 seats but at present, 11 seats have been committed to it.

As per the deal, the RJD contesting 19 seats, Congress 11, Upendra Kushwaha's RLSP six seats, HAM of Jitan Ram Manjhi two and Sharad Yadav will contest one seat. The 40th seat may go to Mukesh Sahni who joined the Mahagathbandhan. It has also been agreed if some formidable leader quit the JD (U) or the BJP, seats will be to him either by the Congress or the RJD.

It is learnt that some of the dissident BJP leaders Kirti Azad (Darbhanga) and Shatrughan Sinha (Patna) may also be accommodated from the seats of their choice if they finally quit the party. Shatrughan Sinha 's services may be used as a star campaigner by the alliance partners in Bihar and elsewhere and he may contest from Delhi instead of Bihar.

The Congress is keen that alliances are finalised in every state as soon as possible so that candidates' selection process could be initiated. It has sealed the deal in Maharashtra and now clinched in Bihar.

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Modi govt. Sets new precedent

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Modi govt. Sets new precedent

President to address two Joint sittings in a single year

Interim Budget on February 1

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Jan. 9

Departing from the past practice, the Modi government's Interim Budget session beginning January 31 will commence with the President's address to the joint session of Parliament.

This will be first time in several decades that the President will be addressing two joint sessions of Parliament in a single year on the opening day of the session.

The President will open the Parliament's session on January 31 and then again do the same when the 17th Lok Sabha is elected and both houses are summoned by the new government in June, 2019.

In a sudden move the government decided to declare Lok Sabha sine-die last night immediately after the Constitution's amendment bill giving 10% reservations to the upper strata of the society was passed. This was contrary to all conventions and past practices. It had been decided that the Winter session will be adjourned on January 8 and meet on again on January 31. The parliament won't be prorogued.

But last night the Lok Sabha adjourned sine die and the Rajya Sabha will also adjourn sine die after passing the reservation bill.

Highly placed sources in the government say that this decision was taken as Rajya Sabha could not pass several important bill including Triple Talaq, Indian Medical Council (amendment), Aadhaar & other Laws and National Register of Citizenship Bill relating to Assam. The government would now be forced to bring Ordinances to ensure continued implementation of these bills. Otherwise, some of the key bill will lapse. These sources say that if the Parliament is not prorogued, no Ordinance can be issued.

Therefore, it was decided that let both Houses adjourn sine die and fresh session be convened on January 31 and the President be requested to address the joint sitting on the opening day.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is likely to present an interim budget on February 1.

The Budget Session of the Parliament is likely to be held between January 31 and Feb 13, and an interim budget is expected to be presented on February 1.

The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs deliberated on the dates for the budget session at a meeting. It is expected to be the last session of the current Lok Sabha as general elections are due in April-May.

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BJP worried as Modi Magic waning

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

BJP worried as Modi Magic waning

Of 24 states, BJP could win 12, 

It lost 12 in four years

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Jan 6

Reality is donning the BJP strategists as it is preparing for the Lok Sabha polls due this April-May. The BJP's spin doctors may have created a hype about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's invincibility during this period.

But the data presented by the party's election strategy group revealed that the BJP thrived on the anti-incumbency sentiments in Assembly polls states after states in between 2014 to 2017. By 2018, the Modi magic started waning. Of the 24 state assembly polls held during the past four years, the BJP could captured only 12 states from Congress and its allies. The BJP was also successful in meting out a humiliating defeat to the CPM's Manik Sarkar government in Tripura.

But the BJP failed to see the writing on the wall in in Goa in 2017 which it failed to win. There was a huge anti-incumbency against the BJP in the state and could win only 13 out of the 40 seats. It was BJP's drawing room skills that paid rich dividends. The same happened in Manipur which the BJP failed to win but formed the government. Delhi and Bihar defeats were considered an aberration by the BJP. But by 2018, the major shocker came when BJP failed to snatch

Karnataka and the anti-incumbency didn't work in favour of Modi-Shah team.

The table showed that if the BJP won 12 states, it failed in equal number of states. The party's core group is worried that the BJP failed to retain its own three states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Though BJP chief Amit Shah has held met party Mps from these three states separately in three batches, he did not ask them why the party lost. He did not give them the reasons of the party's defeat either. He merely directed them that they should now be in the field and work for the victory by highlighting the achievements of the Modi government.

The party strategists point out that the wrong reading of the massive mandate in UP where BJP secured 325 seats on its own made the leadership complacent. It did not crack the whip in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh where workers were saying that leaders must be changed.

In 2017, the BJP snatched Himachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand from the Congress, UP from SP-BSP and could barely retain Gujrat. But the BJP lost its moorings in 2018 when it failed to win any state except Tripura.

Modi himself tried to explain in an interview recently about these defeats and explained that BJP was not a force in Telangana and Mizoram.

Therefore, the challenges before the leadership are humongous in 2019 in several states. Party strategists admit that Modi's own magic can ensure party's return at the Centre. Otherwise the record of 24 state assembly results does not augur well. is not very placating to the BJP.

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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.”

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Modi not to contest from Puri

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Modi not to contest from Puri

BJP shows “white Flag” to Naveen Patnaik

PM may contest from Gujrat too

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Jan. 2

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on the horns of dilemma when it comes to selecting the second Lok Sabha seat in addition to Varanasi in UP in the ensuing Parliamentary polls in May 2019.

It was speculated earlier that he will contest from the Puri Lok Sabha seat in Odisha as part of the mega plan to conquer the coastal state which has 21 parliamentary seats.

Though the PM ducked the question in a TV interview yesterday when asked whether he would contest from Puri, sources in the BJP told Lokmat the plan was abandoned.

After the outcome of the recent Assembly poll results, the plans have hit a hurdle and the PM doesn't want to contest from Puri at all. If sources are to be believed, he is contemplating to contest from the second seat in his home state of Gujrat. Surely, he can contest from Vadodara Lok Sabha constituency which he vacated in 2014 itself and Ranjanben Bhatt was elected. But he is eyeing the Gandhinagar seat presently held by BJP veteran L K Advani who is now 90 years plus. However, intermediaries are working to find a solution as Modi doesn't want to be seen to be denying Advani Lok Sabha ticket as it may become an emotive issue. Modi has been told by BJP leadership that if he contests from Gujrat once again, the party can retain all 26 Lok Sabha seats.

It now transpires that the BJP high command has sent clear signals to the Naveen Patnaik government that Modi has no plans to contest from Puri. Rather, the BJP doesn't have much of a problem with the Biju Janata Dal government in Odisha as long as it keeps Congress at arms length. The BJD responded positively to these signals with a condition that its dissidents like B J Panda, a former member of the Lok Sabha, should not be patronized. Secondly, the BJD leaders should not be harassed in false cases by the CBI & ED “We have no interest in Delhi politics and Delhi should not look at East either,” Naveen sent the word.

Its largely because of this very reason that the CBI has gone silent in pursuing cases against BJD ministers and MLAs of the Naveen Patnaik government in various scams including Sarada Chit Fund cases.

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