The Samajwadi Party and BJP leaders do not have any reservations when it comes to eulogising their leaders. When SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav spoke highly of the contributions made by Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, senior BJP leader spoke of Dr Ram Manohar lohia. However, Mulayam clarified that such remarks should not be misconstrued. These leaders should be shown respect, irrespective of their party affiliations.
Whatever the leaders may have to say, the cadres of both the parties raised an eyebrow about the sudden change in the behavioural pattern. It even triggered a debate in the ranks and the question doing the rounds was whether such statements had a double meaning. But party insiders dismissed these remarks, saying that it had more of a political overtone than anything more.
But Mulayam hastily corrected his political stand. He reiterated his stance for a non-BJP, non-Congress Government at the Centre through the formation of a Third Front Government in the coming 2014 lok Sabha elections. In fact, Mulayam and his son Akhilesh Yadav focussed on the preparations for the polls and asked their party workers to patch up all differences and begin working for the elections.
Mulayam had predicted that the lok Sabha elections will be held in November. This was endorsed by BJP’s national president Rajnath Singh who asked the saffron rank and file to fan out to their respective constituencies and reach out to the grassroots level workers to create an awareness of the failures of the UPA Government, like price rise and various scams during its tenure. Of course, the UPA-II rubbished it and said that the Government would complete its full term.
But recently, PWD, Irrigation and Cooperative Societies Minister Shivpal Yadav sprang a surprise when, at a public function in Noida, he advised Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to work for the alleviation of the villages and not just focus on urbanisation. The SP partymen present at the programme said: “Chachaji keeps giving tips to the Chief Minister often. Even father Mulayam Singh has been pulling up son Akhilesh to ensure smooth functioning of the State Government and also improve the law and order situation. It is for the people to see whether the Chief Minister acts according to the expectations of his father and uncle.”
Meanwhile, the partymen are busy making preparations, psephologists are busy making predictions about the political combinations at the Centre. Obviously the race for the Prime Minister’s chair has intensified. The Congress will look up to their party vice-president Rahul Gandhi as the next Prime Minister. Mulayam Singh, too, will be eyeing the chair as it is a now or never for him.
The people will just have to wait and watch.
down, not out
Former BSP Chief Minister Mayawati may be down but she is certainly not out of the race. WhileSteel Minister Beni Prasad Verma and Mulayam Singh were at loggerheads with each other, the BSP is having a field day. Friends turned foes are spilling the beans in public. And Behenji who had already identified her party’s candidates for the 2014 lok Sabha polls has now sent them to their respective constituencies to start working for the polls.
If the ruling SP Government is rounding up the former BSP Ministers involved in different scams, Mayawati is busy with preparing for the 2014 General Elections. The BSP is of the view that the anti-incumbency factor will work in the 2014 lok Sabha polls because the people have already started getting disappointed with the Akhilesh Yadav Government.
Reports say that some people have even been remembering the administration during the BSP regime. Therefore, Mayawati has also set her eyes on the Prime Minister’s chair.
blame game
The easiest escape route for the politicians is to blame the media. So, it was not very surprising when Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav followed this simple rule and blamed the media especially the electronic channels for unnecessarily exaggerating the law and order situation in the State.
last week, the Chief Minister said that the media for blowing incidents out of proportion. “let me clarify that the law and order situation in the State is certainly not as bad as it is portrayed to be.” Of course, he hastened to add that there was always room for improvement and he will from now on focus on bringing an improvement.
So, just give the Chief Minister some more time and do not be disappointed, said the SP workers. And if things don’t work out, one can always blame the media for everything that is amiss.