It was also said that when Narendra Modi was giving the speech, Sonia was all ears but Rahul was cleaning his mobile phone. Those watching him said he opened his mobile, took out the battery and spent some time cleaning it. Not only this, when Kharge gave a speech in the lok Sabha, Rahul forgot to congratulate him
I don’t know whether Team Rahul Gandhi is paying attention to the various negative stories that have come out during the week of Parliament’s special session. While taking oath as an MP or during the President’s address to Parliament, Narendra Modi’s reply or Mallikarjuna Kharge’s speech, Rahul seemed to be least involved and quite indifferent.
When MPs were taking oath, Rahul was not paying attention. When his cousin Varun Gandhi took oath, Sonia told Rahul to congratulate him and Rahul did so. When Rahul went to take oath, he had not decided whether he would read in Hindi or English. At last, the staff gave him the oath speech in Hindi.
It was also said that when Modi was giving the speech, Sonia was all ears but Rahul was cleaning his mobile phone. Those watching him said he opened his mobile, took out the battery and spent some time cleaning it. Not only this, when Kharge gave a speech in the lok Sabha, Rahul forgot to congratulate him. When Sonia reminded him, he returned from the gate and congratulated Kharge.
SONIA TO DECIDE ON ASSAM, MAHARASHTRA
Congress president Sonia Gandhi will take a decision on unrest in the party in Assam and Maharashtra. She has started deliberations with party men on the issue. Though Rahul had evinced interest in Assam affairs — in the past one week, he has intervened twice and tried to coax opponents of State Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi — but Sonia played a crucial role in curbing rebels. Sonia handled the controversy, which erupted after the resignation of Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Now it is said that the rebel MlAs will not open a front against Gogoi. Sonia has assured them that she will take a decision soon.
Similarly, she has sought information from party men on Maharashtra. On Monday, former CM of Maharashtra Shivajirao Patil Nilangekar — who is the oldest member of the State Assembly — had met her. After this meeting, it is being said that the CM could be changed. Congress leaders in the State have openly demanded that Prithviraj Chavan be removed from the post of CM. Narayan Rane was the first to open front and then 17 MlAs had a meeting at Nitin Raut’s residence to express their unhappiness. Now, Sonia will take a decision on Chavan and State party president Manikrao Thakre.
BY-POll lITMUS TEST FOR MODI GOVT
By-elections are scheduled in many States. Elections will be held for three lok Sabha seats, and more than two dozen Assembly seats will go to polls in different States. Modi has vacated the Vadodara seat and Mulayam Singh Yadav has vacated Azamgarh seat. Apart from these two, late Gopinath Munde’s Beed seat is also lying vacant. There is no doubt over who will win Vadodara and Beed seats, but for Azamgarh, there will be a big fight between the Bharatiya Janata Party — which had won 71 seats in Uttar Pradesh — and the Samajwadi Party, which is the ruling party in the State.
Apart from these, by-elections for around a dozen Assembly seats will be held in UP. Most of these seats belong either to the BJP or its ally Apna Dal. MlAs of these parties had become MPs in the last lok Sabha elections. On these seats too there will be a direct fight between the BJP and SP. There will be by-elections on nine Assembly seats in Gujarat, which will be the first test for new CM Anandiben Patel. By-elections will also be held on seats in Bihar, Maharashtra and Karnataka. There is pressure on the BJP to perform well in these States too. Regional parties of the States are set to fight the elections against the performance of the Central Government.
GOVERNORS VS CENTRAl GOVERNMENT
The Central Government is awaiting the resignation of Governors — barring those whose tenure is going to end either this month or the next, the others have been informed. It is said that the PMO had sought information on all Governors’ tenure. After that, sources said, they had been told to put in their papers.
Ten years ago, when the UPA Government came into power, all Governors appointed by the NDA Government had been told to resign, including Kailashpati Mishra, Kedar Nath Sahni and Vishnu Kant Shastri. In the same manner, the Modi Government wants all Governors appointed by the previous Government to vacate respective Raj Bhawans with dignity. Though this step was being expected since the formation of the new Government, no Governor took the initiative to resign. It is said that the Congress has instructed all Governors not to resign on their own and wait for the Government to act. In fact, the party wanted a controversy and everything went as per its plan.
MAMaTA’S MANTRA TO COUNTER BJP
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has a fierce temperament; she loves to fight from the front. When the BJP sent a team of its leaders to look into the violence in the State, Mamata also decided to send her team to Madhya Pradesh where a woman was gang-raped by 10 people. She said whenever such incidents happen in BJP-ruled States, she will send a team of her party members. Obviously, that incident will be in focus and the State Government will be put into question. Clearly, Mamata’s strategy is to put the BJP on the back foot.
Mamata’s mantra can be a hit among the regional kshatrapas. It is said that some leaders of the Samajwadi Party had advised UP CM Akhilesh Yadav to follow this mantra. Recently, Yadav attacked the BJP and said there were more incidents of rape in Rajasthan and MP than in UP. Now it is being speculated that the SP leaders are devising a strategy to put the saffron party on the back foot by highlighting various crimes in BJP-ruled States.
STATE BJP lEADERS AT CENTRE
There seems to be a dearth of good leadership in BJP’s State units. State leaders, who are considered strong from the organisation point of view, have come to Delhi and become a part of the Modi Government. Many State party presidents and former presidents have got a place in the new Government, such as president of Delhi BJP Dr Harshvardhan has become Health and Family Welfare Minister. Now, a search is on to fill the void of Delhi BJP president and candidate for the post of CM. likewise, MP BJP president Narendra Singh Tomar has become the Steel and labour Minister. Even BJP president of Chhattisgarh Vishnudeo Sai has got a place in the Modi Government. BJP president of Tamil Nadu P Radhakrishnan has also become a Minister. So, in all, three State presidents will be appointed.
The former CM of Karnataka DV Sadananda Gowda has been appointed Minister of Railways. In 2013, when the BJP was badly defeated in the State, Gowda was elected the party leader in the State legislative Council. Bihar’s unit former president Radha Mohan Singh and Haryana unit’s former president Krishna Pal Gujjar have also got a place in the Modi Government.
BIZARRE INFIGHTING IN CONGRESS
The effect of lok Sabha elections is being seen in the State politics of the Congress. The central leadership has become frail, so the State stalwarts are posing challenges. Despite the instructions of the high command, there is infighting in almost half a dozen States. In Assam, Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka and some others States, many leaders have posed challenges for the State leadership and shown a rebellious streak despite the intervention of the high command.
In Punjab, the fight continues between Capt Amarinder Singh and Partap Singh Bajwa. Sonia and Rahul have persuaded both leaders several times, but they are still adamant. In Maharashtra, MlAs and leaders are opposing CM Prithviraj Chavan. leaders like Narayan Rane and Nitin Raut have openly demanded that he be removed.
In Haryana, the situation is worse. Discontent against CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda is growing by the day, and it is said that senior leader Chaudhary Veerendra Singh might leave the party. Former Central Minister Kumari Selja has also opened front against Hooda.
In Assam, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has tendered his resignation. It is said that more than 30 MlAs are with him and can go against Gogoi. In Karnataka, G Parameshwara has staked claim for Deputy CM post and due to this there is a rift between him and CM Siddaramaiah.