A senior Congress leader says the party wanted to prove that numbers don’t matter, and if it wishes then being in minority the Govt can work in Rajya Sabha and can’t work in lok Sabha despite being in majority. That is why when Congress and other Opposition parties created ruckus, Sonia and Rahul Gandhi did not stop them
The Congress showed its strength in the lok Sabha as per its strategy and didn’t allow the Government to work on the very first day. In fact, the party wanted to show the Government that just because it has 44 MPs doesn’t mean it is toothless. Actually, BJP leaders kept repeating that the public had not spared the Congress even to stake its claim for the Opposition. That is why the Congress decided to show its strength. In lok Sabha, BJP has 282 MPs and Congress has only 44, but no work was done in the lower House of Parliament on the very first day.
In Rajya Sabha, the BJP has 46 MPs and the Congress has 67. Despite that, work in the Upper House went on peacefully. A debate on inflation and price rise was held and the Bill of National School of Design was passed with the help of the Congress. It means the party helped the Government in Rajya Sabha.
A senior Congress leader says the party wanted to prove that numbers don’t matter, and if it wishes then being in minority the Government can work in Rajya Sabha and can’t work in lok Sabha despite being in majority. That is why when the Congress and other Opposition parties created ruckus, Sonia and Rahul Gandhi didn’t stop them. On the other hand, when the Congress staged a walkout in Rajya Sabha, NCP leaders didn’t leave their seats and the Congress didn’t force them. After showing its strength on very first day, the Congress allowed work to go on in both Houses.
RAIlWAY BUDGET IN BJP STYlE
The BJP Government presented its first Rail Budget on July 8. For six years, in Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government, Railway ministers were from alliance partners, so the BJP had not found the right opportunity. All the railway ministers of Vajpayee regime had prepared the Budget according to their policies and thought. This was the first Rail Budget which was prepared by Railway minister of the BJP and the party effect was apparent.
On one hand, the Government proposed FDI and on the other it became evident that it is marching towards privatisation. To implement maximum schemes and projects, public-private partnership (PPP) model has been given preference. Apart from this, private companies will be approached to implement passenger amenities. Right from cleanliness to online ticket booking and battery-operated cars and catering — all services will be given to private companies.
The Modi Government will take the policy of privatisation forward, and the PPP model and FDI in Railways are just the beginning. Many economists feel there is no other way to run the Railways.
CONG ADVOCATES IN SUPREME COURT
The Supreme Court is full of advocates from the Congress. Congress leaders, who were ministers in the last Government, can now be seen in black robes in the Apex Court. Party spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who could not become minister the last time, also practices there. He was in news over the SC library, which was earlier named after his father lM Singhvi. However, he is said to have not fulfilled his promise of donating Rs 25 lakh for the renovation of the library, and hence it will now be named after the father of Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi.
Former foreign minister Salman Khurshid has also started his practice. He had pleaded for the bail of Tehelka’s Tarun Tejpal and persuaded the court to grant him the same. It is being said that Kapil Sibal has also started practice, but has not yet taken up any big case. Former ministers Veerappa Moily and Manish Tewari have also started practice again. On the other hand, BJP leaders who practised law are now a part of the Government, such as Ravi Shankar Prasad, who is the law and Telecom Minister. Arun Jaitely had stopped practising law after assuming the role of leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha.
ORGANISATIONAl CHANGES IN CONG
After the Budget Session, organisational changes will be made in the Congress. The Antony Committee is expected to submit its report to the Congress president by the end of July. This will be followed by a debate on the report and the new roles of leaders will be decided. Party sources say the report doesn’t list Rahul’s experiments among the causes of the defeat. It mentions infighting, policies of the UPA Government, inflation and corruption as reasons. That’s why Rahul’s close confidants are saying his experiments will continue.
Changes will be made in the organisation according to Rahul’s wishes. Sources say all old members of Team Rahul will get importance, such as Jairam Ramesh, Ajay Maken, Madhusudan Mistry, CP Joshi, Shakeel Ahmed, Mukul Wasnik and Gurudas Kamat. Senior leaders could be removed from the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and Rahul could also conduct elections for the key body. The officials of Youth Congress and NSUI will also be appointed through elections. Probably, around a dozen State presidents will be changed and the responsibilities of in-charges will also be changed. Youth leaders like Rajeev Satav can get a place in the main organisation, say sources.
AIADMK AND BJD BACK GOVERNMENT
Jayalalithaa and Naveen Patnaik have given big relief to the Central Government and the BJP by making it clear that they are with them. When the Opposition was against the Government in lok Sabha on the issue of price rise and inflation, the MPs of AIADMK and BJD were sitting quietly. They neither opposed the Government nor supported the demand to debate on inflation under the adjournment motion.
likewise, the two parties supported the Government in Rajya Sabha also. They created no ruckus when almost all Opposition parties attacked the Government. In fact, right after the election results, it was being speculated that these parties could support the Modi Government.
After the first week in lok Sabha, it has become clear that Mamata Banerjee’s plans to form a federal front have fallen flat. likewise, the left parties and Nitish Kumar had attempted to create a separate front but didn’t succeed. The left and Mamata were hoping to see Jayalalithaa and Patnaik in their fronts.
BJP’s lEADERSHIP PROBlEM IN STATEs
After three months, elections are scheduled in five States. If the BJP follows its old tradition, it has to declare its CM candidate by the next month. But the party is facing leadership crisis. Earlier, it had universally accepted faces in at least Delhi and Maharashtra. But as Dr Harshvardhan has become a minister in the Modi Government, there is crisis in Delhi. Maharashtra is facing the same crisis after the death of Gopinath Munde. Many leaders like State BJP president Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Khadse and Vinod Tawde are in the race for the CM’s post. Nitin Gadkari will play a crucial role in deciding the leadership in the State, but this will not be an easy task.
likewise, Central minister Rao Inderjit Singh, Captain Abhimanyu and State president Ram Bilas Sharma are the probable candidates for the CM’s post in Haryana. In Jharkhand, the tussle over adivasi vs non-adivasi CM is gaining strength. Arjun Munda can be an acceptable face, but many leaders are trying to sideline him. In Jammu and Kashmir also, the BJP doesn’t have an all-acceptable candidate. It is said that after the Budget Session, senior leaders of the BJP will discuss the leadership issue in the States.