Sources say the BJP needs Amit Shah for Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections, which are scheduled for next year. At the time of lok Sabha Elections, he was in-charge of the party and it performed very well under his command
The process to elect BJP State Presidents has started. In the next 10 days, organisational elections — which are also necessary for the election of the National President — will be completed in more than 15 States. It is being said that the election of Amit Shah is only a formality.
Sources say the BJP needs Shah for Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections, which are scheduled for next year. At the time of lok Sabha Elections, he was in-charge of the party and it performed very well under his command. The BJP had not got so many seats even at the time when the Ram Temple movement was at its peak as it did in 2014.
That is why it is being said that Shah will play a crucial role in UP Assembly polls. For the BJP, UP elections are very important; the party doesn’t have much at stake in the elections of five States which are scheduled for this year. But next year, elections will be held in UP, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Punjab. In these States, the BJP is a big force. The strategy and campaign for UP is bound to affect other States as well.
BJP’S CM CANDIDATES
The BJP will fight the upcoming Assembly Elections after putting forth the names of its CM candidates. It is being said that the party has started zeroing in on possible names. The party decided on this strategy after the experiences in Delhi and Bihar. The BJP had projected an ‘outsider’ as a CM candidate in Delhi, while in Bihar no name was floated. Sources say in Assam, the party has put forward the name of State President Sarbananda Sonowal, but many leaders are in the favour of Himanta Biswa Sarma, who has recently joined the BJP from the Congress.
In Tamil Nadu, Pon Radhakrishnan will be the face of the BJP. In Kerala, O Rajagopal will be the natural choice, but probably the party will not project him due to V Natesan. The BJP will face more problems in States where elections are scheduled next year.
Barring Punjab, the BJP has many faces in UP, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. In Uttarakhand, right from BC Khanduri to Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ and newly appointed State President Ajay Bhatt are contenders for the CM post, while in UP, Varun Gandhi, Yogi Adityanath and Mahesh Sharma are in the race.
CRICKETERS-TURNED-lEADERS
There are a lot of speculations after the RM lodha Committee recommended a BCCI revamp. The panel suggested that leaders and ministers must be kept away from cricket administration. If the Supreme Court makes these recommendations mandatory, then leaders like Sharad Pawar and Amit Shah will have to leave their posts of cricket administrators.
But the question is what will happen to cricketers-turned-politiciansIJ Will they also be kept away from cricketIJ What will happen to Kirti Azad, who is said to be the whistle-blower against corruption in BCCIIJ He is a third-time MP from Darbhanga and before that he was an MlA from Delhi, and even before that he used to play cricket. So, what will he be considered: A cricketer or a politicianIJ This suspense is looming large on all leaders who were once cricketers.
Mohammad Azharuddin was a Congress MP. The current Executive President of DDCA, Chetan Chauhan, was an MP of the BJP and had fought on the party ticket many times. Navjot Singh Sidhu was also an MP and is still active in Punjab politics. Fast bowler Chetan Sharma has also fought election on a BSP ticket. Many cricketers, such as Manoj Prabhakar and Mohammad Kaif, have also tried their luck in politics. Sources say if they want to enter the field of cricket administration, cricketers who couldn’t become politicians will oppose them.
KINDNESS FOR stalwarts
The BJP and Central Government are showing kindness towards many regional stalwarts or kshatrapas, and the Congress has raised questions over this. In fact, the Congress is apprehensive that regional parties are leaning towards the BJP and if this continues then the Congress will be left alone in Parliament. Sources say the BJP is aiming for majority in Rajya Sabha.
That is why Jairam Ramesh had raised questions on the Central Government for not taking action against the BJD Government in Odisha. There were allegations of chit fund and mining scam against the BJD Government, but the CBI didn’t take any action. BJP MP and Central Minister Jual Oram said the investigating agency is showing reluctance on this matter otherwise the State Government would have fallen.
Congress leaders have also raised questions on CBI probe into the chit fund scam of West Bengal. The party is alleging that the agency is lenient towards Mamata Banerjee. Probably it is an acknowledgement of the Central Government’s kindness that Didi’s MPs are not in an attacking mood in Delhi. Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa has also been exempted in the DA case. PM Narendra Modi and his senior ministers are maintaining good relations with Sharad Pawar too. The Centre is also sympathetic towards Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao.
Race To Rajya Sabha
There is still some time for the biennial elections of Rajya Sabha, but veteran Congress leaders have already begun lobbying. leaders who had either lost the lok Sabha Elections or had not fought are now trying to enter Parliament. It is being
said that former Finance Minister P Chidambaram may enter Rajya Sabha this time. He is looking more active and is frequently addressing the media on various issues like intolerance, economy and GST.
The Congress will get two seats in Karnataka and one will probably go to Chidambaram, though it seems difficult seeing the relationship of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. However, Chidu’s name can be considered from another State too.
Manish Tewari, who kept away from the lok Sabha Elections on health grounds, wants to make a comeback in Rajya Sabha from Punjab. This year, three leaders from Punjab — Ashwini Kumar, MS Gill and Ambika Soni — will retire. New faces can be accommodated from the seats of Kumar and Gill. There is speculation that two more Congress General Secretaries, CP Joshi and Shakeel Ahmed, will also go to Rajya Sabha. Mani Shankar Aiyar, the nominated member of Rajya Sabha, will also retire this year.
NO ANTI-BJP FRONT FOR NOW
At present, there is no national front against the BJP, and the leaders involved in the process of building one say it will take time. Regional stalwarts are in the mood to wait for the results of 10 Assembly Elections scheduled for the end of next year. The Congress is hesitant in expanding the UPA as it is not on strong wicket. Its leaders want to expand their front only after increasing their strength.
The process of merger of the Janata family had started last year, but has now come to a halt. After the Bihar results, the expectations of RJD and JDU have increased, but the Samajwadi Party is not seeing any benefit in building a front before the UP elections. JDS and INlD have also distanced themselves from the process. Mamata Banerjee wanted to form a federal front, but she is concentrating on the upcoming elections. If she wins the second time, she will be the natural choice to lead the anti-BJP and anti-left front.
The Congress also doesn’t want to take any initiative on this. Its leaders feel that the party can make a comeback in Kerala and Assam. After that, the Congress is also hopeful for Punjab and Uttarakhand. In fact, the Congress and all the kshatrapas are assessing their strength.