The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has once again put the Congress in trouble. After uprooting the party in Delhi, AAP has set its eyes on Punjab, making Congress leaders apprehensive that the story of Delhi might be repeated there as well. AAP’s campaign against Arun Jaitley over alleged corruption in DDCA is another cause of worry for the Congress.
After giving charge to Captain Amarinder Singh in Punjab, the Congress sought feedback on the State, according to which AAP is in a very good position there. Though it is also being reported that there will be a direct fight between AAP and the Congress as the alliance of Akali Dal and the BJP is in deep crisis. According to the Congress feedback, Sikhs and Hindus seem to be leaning towards AAP. Even after expelling two MPs from the party, Arvind Kejriwal’s popularity has not gone down there.
Fresh confrontation between Kejriwal and the Centre has made Congress leaders more worried. They are of the view that AAP may succeed in establishing itself as effective Opposition. AAP believes that targeting Jaitley could boost Kejriwal’s anti-corruption image and could also help portray the party as a strong political option in Punjab.
CONG’S DElAYED REACTION
The Congress remains confused about the recent release of the juvenile culprit of the Nirbhaya gang rape. Party leaders haven’t been able to decide whether they should oppose the release of the minor or not. Only when Swati Maliwal, chairman of DCW, and other leaders of AAP started the midnight drama over the issue and decided to knock on the Supreme Court’s doors did the Congress leaders wake up. Before that the party only saw political loss in the situation.
It is said that the Congress was not interested in the issue because AAP leaders had become overactive. Though this is also true that AAP leaders sprung into action because a few days ago, the Delhi Government had announced Rs10,000 and skill development training to the minor culprit as per policy. This gave a message that the Government is trying to woo a particular community. That is the reason why AAP became hyperactive at the last minute and DCW brought the issue to the Supreme Court.
However, when AAP leaders took up the issue and the BJP Government tabled the Juvenile Justice Bill in Parliament, suddenly the Congress also woke up. The Youth Congress staged protests at several places in Delhi. Shobha Oza, chairman of Mahila Congress, also participated in the protest and then took Nirbhaya’s mother Asha Devi to Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Congress leaders have always criticised the Juvenile Justice Bill, but supported it at the last moment. Though even at that time, Congress leaders were busy pointing out its flaws.
AllIANCE AlGORITHM
Prominent leaders of all major parties were present at Sharad Yadav’s house for the release of his book. Could this gathering be an indication of a new mahagathbandhan outside BiharIJ Should the BJP and Congress be worriedIJ Though at present there is some relief for the Congress because it is a part of the grand alliance in Bihar.
Sources say Assam is the next target of the mahagathbandhan. The team which had worked for Nitish Kumar in Bihar has now reached Assam. The team has probably started working to form a Congress Government under the leadership of Tarun Gogoi. Even Nitish is believed to be keeping an eye on the team.
Nitish is working on a strategy to take more and more parties in the alliance, which will be led by the Congress. He has also spoken to Badruddin Ajmal. But now it is being said that the Congress is hesitant because if it goes with Ajmal, there will be polarisation of votes in which case the BJP will benefit the most.
There could be hope for the grand alliance in Assam, but what’s nextIJ leaders of the mahagathbandhan are saying that there will be alliances in the five States where Assembly Elections are scheduled for the next year, but the question is which parties will come together and who will take the initiativeIJ
There is no chance of an alliance in West Bengal as the Congress will neither go with the left nor the TMC. There is a tie-up in Kerala, and in Tamil Nadu, Congress leaders want to go with the DMK. So, it is only in Assam where there is a possibility of a mahagathbandhan.
PRIYANKA VS VARUN IN UPIJ
There is still time for Assembly Elections in Uttar Pradesh, but the Congress and BJP are already talking big. Speculations are that some Congress leaders are discussing about projecting Priyanka Gandhi as the face of the party in the State.
On the other hand, there are also talks about the BJP projecting Varun Gandhi as its face in Uttar Pradesh. Though there is no official confirmation from both parties.
Except Rajnath Singh, Kalyan Singh and Murli Manohar Joshi, there is no leader in BJP who has a mass appeal in Uttar Pradesh and who can mobilise BJP voters. That is the reason why Varun’s name has surfaced. Recently a so-called survey was conducted, which has revealed that Varun is more popular than any other leader in Uttar Pradesh.
On the other hand, the debate of Rahul Gandhi vs Priyanka is almost over within the Congress. Some leaders think if Priyanka is pushed in regional politics instead of national politics, the party will benefit a lot. It is Priyanka who looks after Raebareli and Amethi, and is quite popular among the people.
DEARTH OF SPOKESPERSONS
The BJP seems to be facing a shortage of spokespersons for its regular press briefings and TV debates. Only selective people can be seen speaking on almost all topics such as history, films and politics. On the day the CBI raided Kejriwal’s office, only a few BJP faces were seen in TV debates in comparison to AAP, which had a long list of spokespersons such as Ashutosh, Ashish Khetan, Dilip Pandey, Sanjay Singh, Raghav Chadha. All of them were seen firing salvos at the BJP, and only Sambit Patra, Siddhartha Nath Singh and Shahnawaz Hussain were there to reply from the BJP’s side. After two days, Smriti Irani came to the forefront.
When the BJP was in the Opposition, there was a long list of good spokespersons who always proved deadly for their opponents. leaders like Ravi Shankar Prasad, Meenakshi lekhi, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Piyush Goyal, Prakash Javadekar, Nirmala Sitharaman were able to push the BJP’s stand more effectively. When the Government was formed, almost all good spokespersons became ministers and they come on TV only on special occasions.
HERAlD lAND PROBE
The National Herald case will not be limited to the summoning of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi to the court. Investigations are on in States where land had been allotted to National Herald, especially the BJP-ruled ones. It is being said that apart from Delhi, land was allotted to National Herald and its business usage in Maharashtra, Haryana and Tamil Nadu as well.
Sources say that in the past few years, business activities on these lands have increased, and this has happened soon after Rahul’s close aide Kanishka Singh started looking after the work of different trusts of the Congress. These days, Kanishka is working with Priyanka Gandhi and she has also become a part of several trusts. Recently when Motilal Vora went to Patna to hold a talk to remove encroachment on Herald’s land, Kanishka went with him.
The Maharashtra Government has started investigation on the land procured by National Herald in Mumbai’s posh Bandra in 1983. This land had been given for library and research purposes. On this land, highrise Congress Bhawan is being built and most parts of the building will be up for commercial usage. Similarly, in 2004, Bhupinder Singh Hooda had given land to National Herald, which will also be probed.