The Central Government is gearing up for the Budget Session, and this time the preparations are somewhat different. Sources say the Government is not expecting any support from the Congress, and is of the view that in this Session, the party will create more ruckus so that the Government can’t get any Bills passed.
So now the Government is thinking of other ways to get the Bills passed. Sources say that two ways have been discussed. One is to issue executive orders to get the laws enforced. This will be done before the Session starts only if the Government deems it fit. The other alternative is to present important Bills in the form of finance Bills so that they can be enforced after being passed only in lok Sabha.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said that the Government is facing problems in getting the Bills passed not due to the Opposition but mainly due to some individuals — probably hinting at Rahul and Sonia Gandhi. Government managers have tried to convey to the Opposition kshatrapas that the Congress is not allowing Parliament to function peacefully only to establish Rahul, and hence regional parties should not support this politics of the Congress. That is why many kshatrapas are preparing strategies to corner the Congress.
INTERNAl SECURITY CHANGE
After the recent Pathankot attack, there are speculations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi might change the internal security structure. Sources say that a two-pronged formula is being looked into to make the internal security structure more effective. One way would be to form an Internal Security Ministry in place of MHA.
Sources claim that on the US lines, Modi might give a green signal for a Homeland Security Department which will be responsible only for internal security. The second formula is to appoint two NSAs — one for internal security and the other for external affairs. It is being discussed that one such person is needed to give advice on strategic affairs who understands diplomatic aspects as well.
It must be noted that the present NSA Ajit Doval is an IPS officer. In the last UPA Government, MK Narayanan, also an IPS officer, was the NSA. But the post was created during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s time and after that till the Manmohan Singh Government, most of the times IFS officers such as Brajesh Mishra, JN Dixit and Shivshankar Menon held the post of NSA. So, it is being said that an IFS officer might be appointed to advise on strategic affairs.
On the other hand, the PM wants Doval to continue, and that is why it is being said that he might be appointed as NSA for internal security affairs. Sources say that Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar might be given the responsibility of NSA for external affairs.
ANYTHING FOR ATTENTION
The alliance of three parties is in power in Bihar and Nitish Kumar is its leader. But it seems that the real ruling party in the State is RJD. With 80 MlAs, it is the largest partner of the ruling alliance. But due to lalu Prasad Yadav’s personality and the past experiences of party leaders, RJD is giving the impression of being the ruling party. Right from Patna to the district level, RJD leaders are enjoying being in power. By one way or another, lalu has made sure that his party stays
in the news. It is a fact that Nitish maintains distance from the media, while lalu and his entire family know how to use the media.Recently, lalu and his party leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh raised the issue of law and order in the
State. After that lalu went to inspect the health services in the State; he called his son Tej Pratap Yadav, who is the Health Minister, and gave instructions to make reforms in the health services.
Then Tej Pratap made headlines when he rode a horse to his office in a bid to curb pollution. There was much debate when there was news of Misa and Rabri Devi going to Rajya Sabha. RJD also made headlines when it claimed it would take three seats in Rajya Sabha.
In Patna, for many days there was much noise about the election of RJD’s State and National President. First, Ram Chandra Purve was elected as State President, and then lalu was elected as National President. In contrast, the national executive of JDU was held in Delhi instead of Patna. Almost all leaders were in Delhi.
Probably, JDU leaders want to expand the party out of Bihar. On the other hand, RJD leaders are strengthening their roots in Bihar. It is also being said that there is no dearth of leaders in JDU but they are hesitant in taking any work from the bureaucrats due to strictness of Nitish, while RJD leaders are enjoying full freedom.
TAMIl NADU’S lEADING lADIES
In the Congress, two women politicians have made their presence felt. Both were actresses and are from Tamil Nadu. Khushboo joined the Congress after leaving DMK and has now become a party spokesperson. She has been in the news for her attacking statements and open views.
The other is Nagma, who has been given the responsibility of the Women Cell of the Congress. She is touring the country to strengthen the women organisation of the party. She has also been actively campaigning for the party, whether it is in Mumbai, Delhi, Bihar, Jharkhand or Uttar Pradesh.
Now, there is a debate in the Congress about the role of the two women in their own State. None of them has a stature like Jayalalithaa, so how can the Congress pit either of them against the CM of Tamil NaduIJ
However, after Stalin has become active, it seems that the fight will be between DMK and AIADMK. There is speculation that the Congress will fight after going into an alliance with DMK. leaders of the Congress say that after Jayanthi Natarajan, the party desperately needed a female face in Tamil Nadu and Khushboo has filled the gap. As far as Nagma is concerned, she has been campaigning in the entire country, so the party might have something else planned for her.
STRATEGY for GST BIll
Managers of the BJP and Central Government are active again to get the GST Bill passed. Sources claim that as per strategy, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu had gone to meet Sonia Gandhi. In fact, the BJP and Government want to send across a message to the regional parties that talks are going on with the Congress. The regional parties have been insisting that the Central Government must talk to the Congress.
On one hand, the Government is talking to the Congress, and on the other, BJP leaders are trying to woo regional leaders. That is the reason why many Chief Ministers have become ready to support the Bill without any pre-condition.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has also been trying hard to get the Bill passed. Sources say that after meeting Jaitley, Jayalalithaa and Mamata Banerjee have become ready to support the GST Bill. Naveen Patnaik’s BJD has also extended support to the Government, as have the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party.
Assurance of support from several regional leaders has made Jaitley vociferous against Sonia and Rahul. He said that the problem was not with the Congress party but with some individuals. He thinks that this strategy may work; the Congress will be cornered and after that he will get the Bill passed in the Budget Session.
It is almost certain that the Government will present the Bill so that the Congress is exposed. Till date, the Congress has been claiming that it supports the Bill, and this way the Government can prove beyond doubt that the party is only bluffing.
2 STATES, 2 SEATS, 4 lEADERS
This year biennial elections of Rajya Sabha will be held. Elections for 70 seats from various States and nominated category are scheduled. But there is interesting politics for two seats of Bihar and Jharkhand. For two seats, there are four serious candidates. For one seat from Bihar, Sushil Modi and Shahnawaz Hussain are probable candidates. On the other hand, for one seat from Jharkhand, former CM Arjun Munda and present MP MJ Akbar are in the running. Interestingly, the two leaders who will ultimately come to Rajya Sabha will certainly become ministers.
Reliable sources say that if Narendra Modi expands his Cabinet, then it will become clear who will go to Rajya Sabha. However, party sources say that it is not possible to send two Muslim leaders to Rajya Sabha from two States. From UP, it is almost certain that Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi will return. In this scenario, either MJ Akbar or Shahnawaz Hussain will get the seat. But it is also being said that Akbar might get a seat from the nominated category also. In that case candidature of Munda will be strengthened.
As far as Sushil Modi is concerned, he has to decide whether he wants to stick to Bihar politics or wants to come to Delhi. Meanwhile, he has developed good relations with Shahnawaz Hussain since the Bihar elections.
AllIANCE AlTERCATIONS
In West Bengal, the Congress and left are fighting with each other over the issue of alliance for the Assembly Elections. So many groups have been formed among the leaders who are supporting or opposing the idea of an alliance. Many leaders are giving the example of alliance in the local elections of Tripura with a motive to stop the BJP. But the leaders who are against the alliance are least impressed with the argument.
The President of West Bengal Congress, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, is trying his best to go into an alliance with the left. He has persuaded the Congress high command that after the alliance with the left, TMC and BJP can be easily stopped. It is said that Adhir Ranjan has expressed his apprehensions that if the Congress doesn’t want to tie up with the left, it will be limited to two or three districts only. He has also expressed his apprehensions that the Congress might go down, and become the number 4 party in the State. Despite that, several leaders are opposing the idea of alliance and giving arguments that they have to have a direct fight in Kerala.
CM Oommen Chandy has been the first one to oppose the idea of an alliance between the Congress and left in WB.If the Congress and left go together in WB, how can they fight against each other in KeralaIJ That is why Chandy and other leaders from the Kerala Congress are against the idea of an alliance with the left in West Bengal.