Sources say PM Modi will address one dozen rallies in Bihar before embarking on a trip to US and Ireland in the last week of September. His rallies will not only be for BJP candidates, but for alliance partners also. The BJP is drawing up a plan under which at least 20 constituencies will be covered in a single rally of Modi
All eyes are on the upcoming rallies of Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi in Bihar despite the presence of regionalkshatrapas like Nitish Kumar, lalu Prasad Yadav, Sushil Modi and many others. Even before the announcement of Bihar elections, PM Modi had addressed four rallies. Rahul addressed his first rally at Ramnagar in West Champaran on Saturday. RJD, JDU and the Congress had also organised a joint rally on August 30.
However, sources say that the PM is going to address one dozen rallies in Bihar before embarking on a long foreign trip to US and Ireland in the last week of September. His rallies will not be for the BJP candidates only, but for alliance partners also. The BJP is drawing up a plan under which at least 20 constituencies will be covered in a single rally of Modi.
Rahul will also be holding around 10 rallies. Apart from this, Sonia will address a couple of rallies. Probably, Rahul’s rallies will also be held in the alliance partner’s constituency.
The Congress is clearly making a lot of efforts to show its unity with the alliance.
RSS ON OPPOSITION RADAR
In the last one and a half years, the target of anti-BJP parties has changed; now they are more aggressive towards RSS instead of the BJP. Either they are attacking Modi or targeting RSS. The Opposition parties are seeing RSS hand in each and every controversy, and decisions like education policy, ban on meat, as well as appointments in Government and constitutional bodies.
Rahul has also targeted Modi and RSS, claiming “the country is not a shakha of RSS”. Recently, there was a three-day meeting of RSS in Delhi, which was attended by the PM and his ministers. News came in that the ministers gave details of their achievements to top members of RSS. After that the Congress unleashed its tirade.
leaders of the Congress said that since the BJP has been elected with full majority, it is not wise to accuse it of communalism or other similar things. The Congress will raise questions on the governance and performance of Modi, but ideological attacks will be made only on RSS. That is the reason why RSS is on the target of Congress and other secular parties. During his election campaign, lalu is attacking RSS on a daily basis. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has claimed that he is the biggest opponent of RSS. AAP also targeted RSS and said that the meeting of ministers and RSS was an anti-constitutional activity. Many Opposition leaders are of the view that it’s not a coincidence that in the past 15 months, tension with Pakistan has escalated.
WINTER SESSION SPECUlATION
Some ministers have indicated that the Winter Session of Parliament could be convened before schedule, but in reality it is highly unlikely. Usually, the Winter Session is called between November 20 and December 20, and sources say the schedule will be followed this year too.
The fact is that some ministers are worried about the GST Bill. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had vowed to implement the Bill from April 1, 2016, and hence the Government tried to get the Bill passed in the Monsoon Session. Even the adjournment of session was extended so that a Special Session could be convened. But the Congress didn’t cooperate and the Bill couldn’t be passed.
Now the Government is giving indications of an early Winter Session. However, this is not possible for two reasons. First, the Congress will not be ready to support the GST Bill even in that case. Second, the Bihar election process will be over by November 8, followed by Diwali on November 11, and other festivals, which will end by November 17 or 18. In this scenario, it is not possible to call the Winter Session before the scheduled period.
SUSPENSE OVER MEETING
The national president of JDU, Sharad Yadav, has called a meeting of non-BJP and non-Congress secular parties on September 30. This is an attempt to take forward the concept of Federal Front which was put forward by Mamata Banerjee, who is also expected to participate in the meeting. Apart from her, Omar Abdullah will also be there.
After the Bihar episode, Mulayam Singh Yadav is not likely to attend this meeting. He is keeping a distance from parties of the Janata family. Mulayam knows well that if he comes together with either RJD or JDU in Delhi, he will face repercussions in Bihar. Sources say Mulayam will also not send anyone from his party to attend the meeting.
The last time when leaders of this clan had met in Delhi, Sharad Pawar had called them to his house. Arvind Kejriwal had not attended the meeting. He doesn’t want to participate in any meeting where Mulayam and Sharad would be present. It is possible that even NCP will not attend the September 30 meeting for the same reasons that have put obstacles in the way of Mulayam. If these two leaders don’t go, then possibly Kejriwal will attend the meeting.
NOT THE RIGHT APPROACH
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu has sought the Congress’s support on the GST Bill, but party leaders are not too happy with the manner in which he has appealed. Naidu said the Congress should now concede defeat and accept the fact that Modi has come to power. He also said that when the Congress was in power, it hampered development of the country, and now when it sits in opposition, it is putting obstacles in the BJP’s path to develop India. After saying all this, he said the Congress should support the Government on the GST Bill.
The Congress believes this is not the way to ask for support. After claiming that the Congress hasn’t aided in the development of India, BJP leaders too are pleading for its support on the Bill.
Congress leaders argue that both these things are not possible at the same time. They became angrier when PM Modi attacked the party in Bhopal, Chandigarh, Rishikesh and Saharanpur.
Congress leaders are saying that it is quite different to attack the Opposition parties at the time of elections, but it is not good for parliamentary politics to abuse the Opposition even after elections. That is the reason why it seems impossible that the Congress will extend its support on the GST Bill.
TOUGH FIGHT FOR KEJRIWAl
It was certain that Kejriwal would be active for Bihar elections and would campaign in support of JDU, but this is not the case. He has changed his strategy. He is not going to fight elections in any other State also. Earlier, it was being speculated that his party might fight the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) elections. But he didn’t try his luck there. He is apparently saving his strength for Haryana, Punjab and Maharashtra elections. But in these three States, AAP’s mission can be derailed by his former colleague, Yogendra Yadav.
Yogendra is the head of Swaraj Abhiyan and is strengthening his organisation in all these States. In Punjab, he is going to bring in two MPs who had been thrown out of AAP. He recently held a meeting of the members of Swaraj Abhiyan in Chandigarh. In the meeting, he passed a resolution to take Dharamvir Gandhi and Harinder Khalsa along with them. After that, Yogendra met both and invited them to join Swaraj Abhiyan. The resolution also gave the two MPs command of the organisation.
Yogendra has also contacted Daljeet Singh, who was also suspended from AAP. If these leaders join Swaraj Abhiyan, then it would be a big jolt for AAP.
On the other hand, if Haryana is the home of Kejriwal, it is also the home of Yogendra. If Kejriwal’s friend Naveen Jaihind is trying to strengthen AAP in Rohtak and Jatland area, then Yogendra is building his organisation in Gurgaon, Mewat and Ahirwal area.
On the other hand, big names like Medha Patkar, Mayank Gandhi and Anjali Damania have parted ways from AAP. All these leaders are supporting Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra-led Swaraj Abhiyan. So, there too Kejriwal will face a big challenge.