The Maoist attack on Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh has left the party shaken. Hence, the party has been holding meetings on how to tackle the situation seriously. Discussions were held at length during the Congress core committee meeting a couple of weeks back and, last week, at the UPA-II co-ordination committee meet.
Sources say that the Congress is looking at all options and strategies that can be used to confront Maoists in the region. The strategy that has been put forth by senior party leader Digvijay Singh and Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh was discussed at length.
There was a consensus among the Congress and its alliance partners that Finance Minister P Chidambaram’s plan should be implemented rather than what Digvijay or Ramesh had to say.
Almost all leaders were of the view that operations against Maoists in Andhra and West Bengal were quite successful. In fact, Operation Green Hunt had started against Maoists when Chidambaram was Home Minister and Maoists in West Bengal were wiped out.
For now, the Congress High Command and alliance partners are in agreement with Chidambaram’s plan. But an all-party meeting will be held soon to evolve a consensus.
Sources say, the BJP and other political parties are in favour of direct action. So, the UPA-II Government is not likely to face any roadblocks.
Question mark
The CPI MP Gurudas Dasgupta has raised a question — Can different set of actions be taken against two people for the same crimeIJ His question is in reference to former law Minister Ashwini Kumar and attorney general GE Vahanvati.
Dasgupta has alleged that, as law Minister, if Kumar had seen the CBI report on coalgate, then Vahanvati in his capacity as attorney general had also seen the report and made suggestions. According to Dasgupta, if Ashwini’s resignation can be sought, why not Vahanvati’sIJ
In fact, Dasgupta has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanding Vahanvati’s removal. For Dasgupta, the crime committed by Vahanvati is more serious as he is the attorney general.
Dasgupta has alleged that it was Vahanvati who had suggested to Kumar to call a meeting with CBI counsel Harin P Raval, CBI investigating officers, Joint Secretary from the Ministry of Coal and officials from the Prime Minister’s Office.
It appears the Dasgupta wants the entire issue around coalgate to be investigated properly.
Wooing the obcs
The Samajwadi Party is doing its best to prove that their neta — SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav — is the real messiah of the backward classes. The SP Government in Uttar Pradesh is withdrawing all pending cases against the Muslim youth facing terror charges. The party is also organising Press meets in the State to woo Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
These meets are being held at district and sub-division levels. In fact, for some time now, the SP had been only wooing the Muslims and Brahmins. This made the Yadavs and OBCs unhappy. Information came to the SP that the Brahmins were not likely to vote the SP.
So, obviously, the SP has to win back its OBC votebank. Hence the conferences, rallies and meets at regular intervals at all levels in UP.
Party insiders say that the reason for such meets is to send a message — that the SP is a friend of the OBCs. The aim is to ensure that Mulayam becomes the next Prime Minister.
Cashing in on sons
The Congress, it is learnt, is all set to take advantage of the martyrdom of its leaders killed in the Maoist attack in Chhattisgrah a few weeks back. The party has announced that it will start its parivartan yatra from the spot (Jiram Ghati) where its leaders were massacred. It is rumoured that the yatra will have a new name — it may be named after one of the slain leaders.
Sources say that sons of the slain leaders — Mahendra Karma’s son Deepak, Nandkumar Patel’s son Umesh Patel and former MlA Uday Mudaliar’s son Jitendra Mudaliar — will be part of the yet to be named yatra. The Congress hopes to gain sympathy votes that may be riding of these three young leaders.
While the State party president may have a different take on this, the Congress has made up its mind to go ahead with its plan. Probably, the leaders are expecting to break the BJP votebank with this move.
There are reports that Deepak, Umesh and Jitendra will be given tickets to fight from their father’s constituency. Deepak may fight from Dantewada, Jitendra from Rajnandgaon and Umesh from Kharsia.
The Congress is expecting a lot from these three young leaders.
Kejriwal factor
In Delhi’s politics, Arvind Kejriwal plays an interesting role. The BJP and the Congress are criticising him. The BJP says that Kejriwal is Congress’s Plan B and the Congress says that Kejriwal is Plan B for the BJP.
While, most people will feel the heat from the two biggest national parties, Kejriwal is least bothered. In fact, he is very happy because he will steadily gaining ground with the Congress’ and the BJP’s traditional voters.
It is said that Kejriwal’s Aam Admi Party (AAP) has managed to lure the jhuggi dwellers and auto-taxi drivers (Congress voters) and middle class (BJP voters) on its side.
This is probably the first time when there is a third challenger in Delhi’s politics.
Fast and furious
There are reports that Anna Hazare will start his campaign demanding the lokpal Bill from November. This time, he will sit on a fast-unto-death. Anna has timed the place and time of the fast perfectly. Delhi’s Assembly elections are scheduled for November. Exactly a month before the elections, Anna will sit on a fast at Ramlila Maidan in the Capital.
The timing of the fast could not be better for Anna’s disciple and AAP founder Arvind Kejriwal who will be fighting the election for the first time.
Kejriwal has announced that he will stand against Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. And if Anna sits on fast at that time Dikshit and the Congress may face problems. It is said that AAP supporters may back Anna’s movement. No price for guessing who will benefit if Anna goes on fast during Kejriwal’s campaign.
However, Anna has already said that he will campaign for Kejriwal.
A new political frontIJ
There is a strong possibility that a new political front will be created in Bihar. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s opponents are coming together to form this front. However, a similar attempt had been made in the past when anti-Nitish leaders had come together after leaving the Janata Dal-United (JDU).
Upendra Kushwaha, who had quit JD (U) and his Rajya Sabha seat last December, floated his own party, the Rashtriya lok Samata Party (RlSP), about three months back. Former Jehanabad MP Arun Kumar and former MlA Satish Kumar have joined RlSP. The two have travelled extensively in Bihar and will hold a rally in Patna soon.
But now, these leaders are once again trying to form a new front so that they can make their way into JD (U)’s backward class vote bank. Former JD (U) general secretary Shambhu Sharan Shrivastav has taken the responsibility to form this new party.
A close aide of George Fernandes, Sharan has been out of the political scenario for some time.
Now, he is back with a strategy to bring all anti-Nitish leaders under one umbrella. Apart from Kumar and Kushwaha, Brahmanand Mandal (former lok Sabha member) will also be a part of this front.
At the time of election, this front will form an alliance with the party which can oust Nitish Kumar.