After hectic lobbying, the Cabinet aspirants are not sure whether to continue to mobilise support or sit back and stitch a new suit or kurta pyjama only after receiving the ‘call’ from the Gujarat Bhavan, the precursor of 7, Race Course Road, the permanent abode of the Prime Minister.
Their mobiles are ringing without a pause, and moving from one hotspot of power to the other in the national Capital is keeping them preoccupied throughout the day.“None, except the man himself, knows who would be occupying rooms in the Raisina Hills,” says a senior BJP leader, while making a reference to Modi. Until May 26, when Modi takes the oath of his office and secrecy, the “kite-flying” may continue with some kites moving up and up before hitting the ground ‘unnoticed’ as others would replace them, wittingly or unwittingly.
An ambitious BJP leader aiming to hit the jackpot was not sure whether he should sweat-it-out or just leave it to what he described as the “looking-the-least-ambitious” trick and winning the trophy. His counterpart from one of the NDA allies was happy adopting a mid-way approach saying a little bit of help from “the powerful well-wishers in right places” would not harm his aspirations. “..It is upto Modiji… but we should still be visible and do our bit”.
A few confident ones want their names in the print and electronic media “to remain in circulation” but some just don’t want to be named as potential Ministers, fearing it may boomerang on them with the ‘Big Boss keeping a Hawk’s eye on their “unwanted ambitions”.
Someone rightly said “Suffering lies in indecision”. A number of newly-elected MPs are skeptical whether “lobbying” would at all be helpful to their cause or in fact adversely impact it, given Modi’s message that party leaders should not hanker for the posts but work for the party.The Prime Minister-designate’s praise for southern superstar Vijaykanth and his wife for their “spirited election campaign” as also his description of AINRC leader and Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy as a “very simple man” has led to a quick “translation” that the Tamil Nadu NDA allies (with only two seats) may be rewarded with Cabinet berths or Rajya Sabha seats.
Besides, the high-decibel reception given to the alliance partners from Tamil Nadu during the NDA meeting here, also triggered speculations that it could be at the prompting of the Prime Minister-elect.Similarly, a few other observers saw in Modi’s queries in the Central hall of the Parliament about lJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan and reported suggestion that he should be seated beside him to suggest that he has been confirmed for a heavy-duty Cabinet posts.
All are catching straws in the wind, a senior MP summed up.