Many key appointments in the Central Government have been stuck for months, but the process is expected to start very soon. Many appointments had been deferred because the selection panel to finalise these was not complete. There is a provision to include the leader of Opposition in most of the panels but this time there is no loP.
Now, the Government has devised a way to tackle this technical problem — it is including Mallikarjun Kharge, the leader of the largest party in lok Sabha, the Congress — in the panel for the appointment of Chief Information Commissioner (CIC). Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who heads the panel, has included Kharge along with Arun Jaitely.
First of all, the CIC will be appointed as this post has been vacant since August, and more than 9,000 applications for information are pending. Even the post of the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) has been lying vacant since October. The post of chairman of NCERT is also vacant since October. No appointment has been made due to the clause of loP. Next month, CBI director Ranjit Sinha will also retire, and the process to find his successor has not started yet.
PROBlEMS OF CONG IN SOUTH INDIA
Problems of the Congress are increasing day by day. Whenever the party hasn’t performed well in North India, it got support from South India. But now it seems that even in South India the party will witness a disaster. In Andhra Pradesh, the Congress has been pushed on the margins. In the last Assembly Elections, it got two jolts. First Jagan Reddy parted ways and then Kiran Reddy formed a separate party.
Now the Congress is facing crisis in Tamil Nadu also. Former minister GK Vasan has announced his own party. Vasan’s father, late GK Moopanar, had fought after forming an alliance with the DMK and won. So, the biggest jolt for the Congress will be if Vasan went with the DMK, which is the Congress’ probable alliance partner.
The Congress is in power in two States of South India — Kerala and Karnataka. But in both States, the party’s situation is not good. In Kerala, the Congress is entangled in controversies with its alliance partners. Not only this, finance minister of Kerala is facing allegations of taking bribe of Rs1 crore. Siddaramaiah’s position is relatively strong after the win in byelections, but he is on the target of opponents. On the other hand, the BJP has started preparations for elections.
CONGRESS AT NUMBER 3
Wherever the Congress slipped to number 3, it could not recover. It is possible that there may be some exceptions to this, but this is a verified fact. In UP, the party slipped to the third position and is still struggling to recover. It’s the same situation in Bihar and Tamil Nadu. In Jharkhand, it is on number 3, and there is no improvement. That is the reason Congress leaders are apprehensive about the results in many States. They think the party may face deep crisis in Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.
In Haryana too, the Congress has been pushed to the third position. This is the first time when the Congress has gone to number 3 position in Maharashtra. Its status is almost equal to the regional party, NCP. In Andhra also, it is on number 3. There is a scenario of TDP vs YSR in Andhra. Of course, in Telangana, the Congress is at number 2 and leaders expect the party to make a comeback because it had played an important role in creating the State. In Delhi, this is the first time when the Congress is at number 3. All surveys show that in the coming elections, lead of AAP will be maintained. It means the fight will be between the BJP and AAP.
INCREASING INTEREST IN RSS
Though, the BJP Government came to power in May, people have been showing interest in RSS since January when Modi was declared the PM candidate and had started a fierce campaign. Sources in RSS say that from January to September, almost 4,000 new branches of RSS have been started in different parts of the country. From 2012 to 2014, the number of new branches was on an average 2,000 per year, and even the number of people going there was very less. Most of the people going to these branches were in the old age group and there were few youths. But now the situation has changed. Supposedly, in the next five years, the RSS will reach those areas where its effect has been almost zero.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had said that RSS shakhas produce PMs. After this statement it is expected that the drive of RSS will gain momentum. After Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Modi is the second PM from RSS shakha. Another fact being promoted is that RSS has produced two CMs. In Haryana, a full-time RSS pracharak Manohar lal Khattar has been made CM. Even Devendra Fadnavis has been associated with the RSS. So, people with political ambitions are showing interest in RSS now.
VADRA: A WEAK lINK for CONGRESS
Robert Vadra, the son-in-law of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, is proving to be a weak link for the Congress. Though Congress leaders are saying that he is a common citizen and are trying to detach him from the party, his recent outburst against a mediaperson has become a matter of concern for his wife Priyanka Gandhi and the Congress party.
On the other hand, double-edged attacks have started on Vadra. He is on the target of the BJP and leaders who want to see Rahul as the party president. There are many leaders who are fed up of the ‘bring Priyanka, save Congress’ campaign. They are now apparently busy planting news against Vadra.
When Vadra misbehaved with a journalist and landed up in controversy, it was Sandeep Dikshit who reacted first, saying one must behave properly with journalists. It means he put Vadra in the dock. It is said that leaders who support Rahul are spreading the message that if Priyanka becomes active in the party, the BJP will get a chance to attack her and the party will face more trouble. On this basis, the path of Priyanka is being blocked.
WIll RAJ AND UDDHAV uniteIJ
In Maharashtra, Shiv Sena leaders want to join the BJP-led Government any way possible. Talks between both parties are still going on. Meanwhile, leaders of Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) are also having talks. MNS chief Raj Thackeray has come out of the shell. He had become almost inactive after facing the worst defeat in Assembly Elections. He met new CM Devendra Fadnavis and kept his demands before him. It is being said he even spoke to his cousin Uddhav on the future politics.
Recently, Raj’s daughter had met with a minor accident and Uddhav had gone to see her, leaving all his work. It must be noted that when Uddhav had undergone a heart surgery some time ago, Raj had gone to meet him several times and this was when the ice started breaking between them. Though sources say Raj and Uddhav are not able to come together due to female members of the family, senior members of Shiv Sena and MNS are trying to bring the parties together. Many spiritual leaders, Bollywood stars and industrialists are also busy in this mission. Speculations are that if Shiv Sena joins the Government, the MNS will also get something, and then the BJP, Shiv Sena and MNS will together play politics in Maharashtra.
NO TICKETS FOR bureaucrats
The BJP has disappointed many bureaucrats who were gearing up to fight elections after taking VRS or retiring. The party has given ticket to only one IAS officer, JB Tubid but there are some political reasons behind it. He has a clean image and is known to be an upright officer. His father was a Congress MlA from Chaibasa. Three days ago, he applied for VRS and when it was granted, he joined the BJP. Apart from him, almost half a dozen officers were trying for BJP tickets. The party has inducted all of them but has not given them tickets.
Three former IAS officers were hopeful of a ticket. laxman Prasad Singh was trying for Dhanbad and Sheeta Oraon was claiming the lohardaga seat. Manoj Mishra, who had retired just before them, had already joined the BJP but didn’t get a ticket. Bimal Kirti Singh, an IAS officer, also took VRS just before lok Sabha Elections and was a contender from Bokaro seat, but didn’t get ticket.
Chief Secretary of Jharkhand, Mukhtar Singh, was also a contender of a BJP ticket but was disappointed. Many PCS officers were also lobbying for the ticket but the party didn’t oblige.