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The third term consecutive BJP government in Haryana proactively introduced seven laws before the state legislature’s winter session, even as Congress’ failed CM aspirant Bhupinder Singh Hooda declined handing over the leader of opposition (LoP) post to another party colleague. Before the session began intensive in-fighting broke out for the LoP post with Hooda deferring the appointment though Congress has legitimate claim with 37 MLAs to hold the post. Holding Haryana’s state legislature to ransom Hooda said the LoP would be decided only after the results of the Maharashtra state assemblies are declared on November 23. His stand of “If it ain’t me, it won’t be anyone else,” has already set the ball rolling with a majority Congress MLAs seeking fresh political pastures with strong indications of en masse defections to the BJP, says senior BJP leader Mahendra Jain. “Not only in Haryana, but also in Maharashtra, mass defections are likely from the Congress party and the Sharad Pawar/Uddhav Thackeray led political formations respectively post November 23, 2024. There will be a big political Khela in the two states,” Jain predicts. Ironically, after the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress party was unable to secure the LoP status for Rahul Gandhi in India’s parliament have elected only 44 MPs back then while Hooda’s obstinacy does not allow the party to legitimately designate Harayana’s LoP despite commanding required numbers for the same. The BJP is exploiting the situation to engineer a Congress breakup in Haryana while ensuring the same in Maharashtra at the expense of the UBT and Sharad Pawar’s NCP in a repeat performance.
In a solemn ceremony, Justice Sanjiv Khanna was sworn in as the 51st Chief Justice of India on November 11, succeeding Justice DY Chandrachud, who retired on November 10, 2024. The oath was administered by President Droupadi Murmu during a ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The event was attended by key figures including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and former CJI Chandrachud. Justice Khanna’s appointment follows the recommendation of Justice Chandrachud, who had recommended him as his successor on October 17. Justice Khanna’s tenure as CJI will last until May 13, 2025. Despite his short tenure, Justice Khanna has opted not to move into the official CJI Bungalow at 5, Krishna Menon Marg. Following the swearing-in, Justice Khanna proceeded to the Supreme Court to preside over the day’s proceedings, hearing 47 cases alongside his colleague, Justice Sanjay Kumar. In his parting address Justice Chandrachud expressed a deep sense of satisfaction with his service, stating, “I won’t be able to deliver justice from tomorrow, but I’m content.” Justice Chandrachud, like other former Chief Justices, will enjoy several post-retirement benefits which have recently been enhanced to include round-the-clock security at their residence, along with a personal security guard available 24/7 for five years post-retirement. He will also get six months of rent-free Type-VII accommodation in Delhi, similar to facilities provided to Union Ministers. Lifetime entitlements include domestic help and a chauffeur, ensuring that their household needs are met and they lead a comfortable life.
In a significant political development, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has placed her trust in former cabinet minister and senior Left Front leader Abdus Sattar by appointing him as the chief advisor to her government on minority affairs. Sattar, an influential figure of CPI(M) who served as the Minister of State for Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education under the Left Front government. He has been tasked with addressing ongoing disputes related to Wakf properties and will advise the Department of Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education on initiatives for minority welfare. Interestingly, Sattar quit the Left Front way back in 2011 by joining the Congress before aligning with the TMC. This appointment, sources suggest, highlights TMC’s strategy to strengthen its appeal among the state’s educated minority communities. With the BJP’s growing influence in West Bengal and traditional opposition forces such as the Left and Congress losing traction, Sattar is seen as a critical asset for Banerjee’s administration, given his progressive reputation and deep organizational skills. A TMC leader pointed out that Sattar will complement prominent TMC leaders like Firhad Hakim and Siddiqullah Chowdhury. Interestingly, CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said that Didi’s appointment of Sattar reflects an acknowledgment of the developmental work undertaken during the Left Front regime and is also a rebuttal to TMC’s earlier narrative that the Left did nothing for minorities.
Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde, deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and former CM Uddhav Thackeray have started singing the same tune. They keep on telling the media, “I am not hankering for Maharashtra’s chief ministership.” Over the past few days, the three leaders have been interviewed by leading dailies and news channels. Each has been repeatedly asked about his prospects to be the next CM. In response, each has reiterated that a decision about this issue will be taken after the assembly election results on 23 November. The issue had become a hot topic soon after the Lok Sabha election when Uddhav Sena’s spokesman Sanjay Raut publicly suggested to Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) to project his leader as the next CM. The move was immediately scuttled since veteran leader Sharad Pawar of NCP and state Congress president Nana Patole rejected it. Now that the polls are away in just four days, the issue has been resurrected. Shinde has predicted that the ruling Mahayuti will win around 160 seats in the 288-member house. Fadnavis has been consistently saying that the issue will be decided by Shinde, BJP’s Central leaders and another deputy CM, Ajit Pawar. This stance of the three top leaders in Maharashtra is interpreted as a precaution to ensure that the boat is not rocked at the opportune time.
He has been very vocal on sanatan dharma and has been taking potshots at BJP and Hindu religion. But ever since Udhayanidhi Stalin was appointed deputy chief minister of Tamil Nadu he seems to have toned down his anti-sanatan stand. Of course, he has shown his aggressive side by insisting on wearing a T shirt with DMK logo on it at every public appearances, a practice that has irked opposition to the extent of filing legal action. This defiance is yet to be resolved. But there is evidence that he is mellowing down, a visible change from his aggressive defiance. Recently, Udhayanidhi was tasked with completing a full audit and stock taking of the DMK government’s welfare schemes and doles obviously aimed at the 2026 Assembly elections. To get a first hand report Udhayanidhi visited several constituencies, met the local party workers and government officials. But when he visited Thoothukudi with Minister for Fisheries Anita Radhakrishnan and Social Welfare minister Gita Jiwan in tow, the powerful and bespoke Kalaignar family’s Kanimozhi( MP for that constituency ) was missing from the scene. The media was quick to pounce on this glaring absence. Udhayanidhi was quick to reassure the media that this stock taking move and audit had been undertaken at the request of the chief minister and that his foster aunt was travelling abroad. He also took pains to reassure the media that he would revisit Thoothukudi in a few weeks with Kanimozhi. There was a time when Udhayanidhi would have flared up at even an indirect reference to Kanimozhi’s relevance. Times are changing
The absence of Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and other senior NCP leaders from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s election rally at Chhatrapati Shivaji Park in Dadar, Mumbai on November 14 strengthened speculation that NCP could possibly be an unreliable link in Mahayuti. This notwithstanding the fact that the deputy CM had attended a Modi rally in Pune barely two days earlier. Ajit Pawar’s party is a crucial partner in the ruling alliance, alongside Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and the BJP. But then NCP candidates Sana Malik, Nawab Malik, and Zeeshan Siddique were also notably absent from the event, which featured leaders from the Shinde Sena and the Republican Party of India (RPI) led by Ramdas Athawale. While the rally was meant to highlight the coalition’s solidarity, reports suggest that NCP leaders are upset over the BJP’s batenge toh katenge campaign. BJP sources said despite Ajit Pawar’s unease with the BJP’s aggressive Hindutva agenda, it is likely that he will stay on the side “which benefits him”. That is he could walk to any side which will make him the CM or as Nawab Malik told Times Now “Ajit Pawar will be king maker”. BJP sources said UP CM Yogi who coined the slogan has been much in demand among party candidates. “We have been forced to cancel meetings of top leaders to accommodate Yogiji”, said a party manager. As for contrary assertions by Ashok Chavan and Pankaja Munde on batenge toh katenge, these are being viewed more as a desire to project themselves than pose any serious ideological counter to the main party discourse.
Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has raised apprehensions about his future moves, once again. Over the past few days, Ajit has betrayed his ambivalence about the way campaigning is proceeding in Maharashtra. While this is being commented upon, his absence at the final rally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on November 14 has been noted with concern within the ruling Mahayuti. Neither Ajit nor any of his NCP’s candidates turned up for the PM’s rally organised by chief minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and the BJP. As Ajit failed to appear on the dais, the media attention has focussed on his possible calculations after the assembly poll results are out on 23 November. Already, he has rubbed Shinde and deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis the wrong way by objecting to UP CM Yogi Adityanath’s slogan batenge toh katenge. Ajit had observed that such slogans will not work in Maharashtra, whose culture was different from that of UP. Ajit’s insistence on fielding former minister Nawab Malik from Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar constituency in Mumbai despite the BJP’s open objections had created some strain within the Mahayuti. Now, Malik has told the saffron formation that Ajit’s NCP will not be a part of the next government if Yuti’s campaign strategy is not changed. Ajit’s another confidant, Dilip Walse Patil had said a few days ago that some fresh combination can occur after the election. Ajit has not refuted neither statement. Hence, he is under close observation by the other two partners of Mahayuti.
The kerfuffle following Ricky Ponting’s straight–from–the–shoulder observation of Virat Kohli’s form was unnecessary. In the course of an International Cricket Council (ICC) conducted interview before the five-Test series between India and Australia in Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the former Australian captain said that Kohli has scored only two Test centuries in the last five years (186 against Australia in Ahmedabad in March 2023 and 121 against the West Indies in Port of Spain in July 2023). In these circumstances, he wondered if any other player would have been picked for the national side. While Kohli — described by Ponting as one of the greats in the same interview — himself did not respond to Ponting’s appraisal of his form, a seemingly annoyed India head coach Gautam Gambhir virtually questioned Ponting saying: “What does Ricky Ponting have to do with Indian cricket? He should be talking about Australia.’’ Gambhir’s retort was churlish. The media seeks the opinions of former greats as a build-up to events and in this case Ponting was interviewed by none other than the ICC because of the importance of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Ponting has gone to the extent of saying that the series between India and Australia — from the backend of his career – has always been a high-stakes affair, not far from the relevance of the Ashes. Ponting has played 560 matches for Australia across formats, scored 27483 runs with 71 x 100s and 146 x 50s and led Australia in 77 Tests. He is also a World Cup-winning captain. To question his credentials is downright absurd.
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath packed a lot of wit and humour while taking potshots at Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge who had mocked Hindu sadhus straying into politics and occupying high offices “in saffron robes”. Yogi reminded Kharge that he may have forgotten some crucial parts while recollecting his family’s sacrifices “for votes”. Yogi alleged Kharge purposely glossed over the tragic death of “his mother and sister” in an attack by Razakars as he feared losing Muslim votes. Addressing a rally in Achalpur in Vidarbha, the UP leader said, “I am a Yogi, and for me, the nation comes first, while for Mallikarjun Kharge, appeasement politics comes first.” He was responding to Kharge’s comments on the “batenge toh katenge” remark. He recounted Kharge’s childhood tragedy during the political unrest in Hyderabad during India’s independence. Kharge was born in the Bidar region of erstwhile Hyderabad state, ruled by the Nizams. The Razakars were a paramilitary force that operated in the princely state with a primary objective to maintain the rule of the Muslim Nizams of Hyderabad and prevent the accession of Hyderabad to India. Incidentally, at the very rally where Kharge was pouring scorn on Yogi’s saffron attire, the Congress chief was trying to generate some sympathy for himself by talking about how he had narrowly escaped the wrath of razakars. He didn’t name the razakars; he merely said how his father was relieved that his only son had been “saved”. “Even our house was burnt. I don’t want to talk about those who attacked us.”
India’s Test team – thrashed 3-0 by New Zealand – will look upon the five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia with trepidation rather than hope. After the 2-0 win against Bangladesh, the Rohit Sharma-led team seemed to have reached the doorstep of the ICC World Test Championship final. But in a matter of 10 playing days from October 16 to November 3, all the hype around a third consecutive WTC final turned into slough of despond because drawing a blank from the available 36 points from three Tests against New Zealand meant winning four of the five Tests in Australia to qualify for the WTC final. India could be disappointed when the fourth Test begins in Melbourne on Boxing Day (December 26). Of course, putting it across the Pat Cummins-led Australian side will drive the Indian team that competed hard to bring down the home side in the two previous series of 2018-19 and 2020-21. Preparing “designer turners’’ in Pune and Mumbai did not help the home team in any way as New Zealand’s two left-arm spinners, Mitchell Santner and Ajaz Patel, sent the home team packing, capturing 13 wickets in Pune and 11 wickets in Mumbai. The five pitches in Australia will not afford copious turns to the slow men, but Cummins will deploy the smart off-spinner Nathan Lyon – he has taken 60 of his 259 wickets at home in 15 Tests against India — to the full. India has to muster all its wits, hour by hour, session by session, and day by day, deliver with the bat, ball, and field well in each Test match to make the series riveting.
If there is one political leader who is at ease sporting the Hindu card on his sleeve, outside of the BJP, then it is Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Ahead of municipal corporation elections in Delhi in April 2022, Kejriwal has gone all out to woo Delhiwallas with yet another freebie. All the three civic bodies in Delhi are with the BJP. So this time Kejriwal has come out with a free of cost yoga class called Dilli ka Yogashala. On the offer from January 2022, is what the AAP chief touts will be first of its kind Yogashala. Just like AAP’s mohalla clinics, power freebies and the happiness curriculum in government schools, yogashala too will be an innovative government programme. As for enrolling on the yoga programme, all one needs is a group of 25 people willing to learn yoga. Some 400 yoga instructors have been lined up for the programme. It is said that Kejriwal is not averse to playing the Hindu card whenever elections are around the corner. From conducting Diwali puja in public to sending people on pilgrimages to reciting Hanuman Chalisa, Kejriwal has been competing with the BJP to cater to popular sentiments. He reached a TV event recently announcing that he was coming from the railway station where he had gone to see off people boarding the train to Ayodhya.
Initial buzz said President Ramnath Kovind would be among dignitaries to lay a wreath on the mortal remains of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and others killed in the Tamil Nadu helicopter crash, at the Palam air base. Apparently, however, as per protocol the President may not place a wreath on the bodies of any soldier. Being Supreme Commander of the armed forces he may not discriminate between a general or a soldier while paying tributes. The President, of course, had canceled all engagements after the helicopter crash and tweeted his condolences to the bereaved families. The PM and Defence Minister who laid wreaths had actually done so on behalf of the President. However, when it comes to commiserating civilian deaths, the President is not encumbered by any such protocols. Ramnath Kovind was first to write to Mallika Dua, daughter of late journalist and Padma Shri awardee Vinod Dua who passed away early this month. PM Modi also followed suit, condoling Dua’s demise. Modi’s gesture surprised some in the news media as the late journalist was among the PM’s staunchest critics. Was it a move intended to soften the liberal media that is vocally against the PM or, just a routine letter from the PMO? Only time will tell.
PM Narendra Modi’s complete endorsement of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, whom he calls ‘Karmayogi’, was clear and evident over the last several weeks during his frequent trips to Uttar Pradesh, ahead of assembly elections slated next year. Modi has good reason to be happy with the manner Yogi has executed and delivered projects very close to his heart, in particular, the Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor in Varanasi, well within the scheduled timelines. Returning the compliment Yogi compared the PM to Ahilyabhai Holkar and Raja Ranjit Singh who had contributed similarly and restored the temple. At the inauguration ceremony of the corridor, Yogi was at the PM’s side all the time at various stages of the ceremony. Several other BJP leaders, including chief ministers, attended the ceremony but no one accompanied the PM. Significantly, a month ago Yogi’s twitter handle shared a picture of PM Modi during a stroll with his hand on Yogi’s shoulder. The picture, snapped up at the UP Raj Bhawan captured Modi in deep conversation with Yogi. The PM was in Lucknow attending the DGPs conference when the CM called up on him. Buzz is, the idea to share the Modi-Yogi picture of camaraderie had emanated from the PMO.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s decision to visit Coonoor after the helicopter crash that killed Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat is being much appreciated in Delhi by PM Narendra Modi and his ministers. He took a flight to Coimbatore from Chennai and drove to Coonoor. Besides paying homage to Rawat, Stalin also stayed back overseeing arrangements to transport bodies to Delhi. Stalin’s actions were prompted by a phone call from NSA Ajit Doval to Tamil Nadu DGP C Sylendra Babu. The NSA had asked Babu to secure the area for investigations. Babu rushed to the site. Soon, Stalin wanted State Chief Secy V Irai Anbu to be at the site. By evening, Stalin was there at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, meeting with military officials and directing local officials. Stalin’s conduct is in sharp contrast to what his father M Karunanidhi did as CM in 1990 when he had refused to receive the IPKF in Chennai even as it was pulled out from Sri Lanka by then PM VP Singh exactly as he sought. Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan was also spotted in Wellington. As for bidding hero’s farewell to Gen Rawat and his men in Tamil Nadu, and mobilizing a rousing public line-up outside Sulur air base, credit must go to state BJP unit headed by a former IPS officer K Annamalai.
The question uppermost in everybody’s mind is: who will be the next Chief of Defence Staff following the untimely demise of CDS Gen Bipin Rawat. PM Narendra Modi had picked Gen Rawat for CDS post on January 1, 2020 — because he was blunt, outspoken and a man of integrity. Rawat was liked as he was not afraid of speaking his mind when it came to military reforms and the defence of the country. He was a fighter and a nationalist to the core. Modi noticed his qualities after he, as Dimapur Corps Commander, supervised a strike against NSCN (K) insurgents across the Indo-Myanmar border by Special Forces in June 2015. Prior to that he performed exceptionally as the 19 Division commander in the Uri sector against the Pakistanis. On December 17, 2016, Modi appointed Rawat as India’s 27th Chief of Army Staff after superseding the then Eastern and Southern Army Commanders on grounds of merit, track record and vision. Modi saw Rawat’s role as a military commander when he took on the Chinese PLA at Doklam Plateau on the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction in June 2017. He stopped the PLA from building a road to the Jhampheri Ridge, which would have made India vulnerable in the Siliguri corridor. So Modi wants the next CDS to be someone like Rawat! Who can it be?
It ain’t for nothing that PM Narenrdra Modi warned on Constitution Day (Nov 26) about family-run parties being the biggest threat to democracy. Mamata Banerjee is no Narendra Modi. The same day she used the forthcoming Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections (set for Dec 19) to strengthen her family stranglehold on Kolkata by declaring her old network of supporters as candidates in the civic polls. She chose to give tickets to relatives and extended families rather than go looking for fresh faces. Ironically, she was doing all this on a suggestion from her strategist Prashant Kishor (PK) to change candidates. The TMC had dropped about 39 candidates in 144 wards. Mamata “misused” PK’s advice to field relatives– including her own sister-law Kajari Banerjee, dropping an influential incumbent Ratan Malakar. Kajari’s candidature so shocked Malakar that he filed papers as an independent. He and yet another councillor, both belonging to Mamata’s Bhowanipore assembly constituency, revolted. As of now PK is at odds with the TMC. Didi has told PK to leave out micro candidate issues to her. PK recently skipped a strategy-meeting on the polls. Meanwhile, the strategist is sending across train loads of young men — affiliated to his I-PAC — to Goa to work for the party. Left to herself, Mamata may be comfortable transferring Bengal voters to Goa. Just to prove a point!
Election dates for Punjab assembly elections will be announced a month away; polls are due in February 2022. Yet political jockeying for voter’s attention among key players has peaked. Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, his Delhi counterpart and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu were spotted carrying their Punjab battle into streets and TV studios of Delhi, much to everyone’s amusement. Channi who performed bhangra on a live TV event, made it known that his potential challenger Kejriwal had no business to venture into Punjab. Simply because the Haryana-born Delhi CM may not know how to dance to a bhangra beat. And how can anyone do Punjab politics without doing bhangra he asked. If this was Channi’s talking point in a TV event, Sidhu cornered Kejriwal by leading a protest of Delhi temporary teachers outside his residence in Delhi. The dharna was to apparently puncture AAP chief’s campaign point in Punjab where he is offering a whole lot of freebies — from offering Rs 1,000 to every woman in a household to free power to ideal government schools. Did Channi and Sidhu coordinate their effort to corner Kejriwal? Of course not. There is still no theme that binds the Congress in Punjab. Channi is found playing his caste card; and it has begun to worry party men.
With the Government restoring Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) just ahead of the Winter Session there should not have been much trouble with MPs. Yet unbelievably, the imbroglio over suspension of 12 Rajya Sabha MPs has spilled into the second week. Ideally, such an issue or any issue with the Chair gets sorted within a day or two. However, the Opposition now seems determined to prolong it as it is in no mood to tender an apology for its unruly behaviour on the floor of the House during monsoon session (August 11). “We are not Savarkars to apologise. It is not in our culture to write letters of apology,” says CPI leader Binoy Viswom, echoing an anti-BJP narrative that insults the memory of the freedom fighter revered by millions. His view is shared by a section in the Congress too, including Rahul Gandhi. Chairman M Venkiah Naidu who has held several rounds of meetings with leaders is ready to revoke his order but says MPs have to express regret. Suspended MPs are hoping Naidu will respond to Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge’s statement in the House and let them off. And that’s not possible. As for suspended MPs Priyanka Chaturvedi and Shashi Tharoor, in solidarity, quitting from Sansad TV shows, it doesn’t make business or political sense: Their TV shows were after all a professional commitment.
Two ministers stand out in tackling the Opposition on the floor of the House — Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Civil Aviation Minister Jyotirditya Scindia. Shekhawat, who piloted the Dam Safety Bill, 2021 in the Rajya Sabha, faced grim reminders that the Bill could be a repeat of Farm Laws. Not only did he stand his ground but reminded the Opposition that as he spoke 42 dams had collapsed because of lack of action on part of lawmakers. The Bill has been hanging fire for a decade. On the National Committee on Dam Safety (NCDS), Shekhawat made it clear the idea of limiting the number of member states to 7 on the 21 panel was a proposal drawn from the Standing Committee headed by late Congress leader Tarun Gogoi. It was the Gogoi report that didn’t want more states on the panels. As for Scindia, he effectively tackled Congress and DMK leaders who teased him for speaking only in Hindi. DMK leader TR Baalu wondered why the Civil Aviation Minister who was fluent in English was not speaking the language. Baalu was joined by Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Choudhary. To which Scindia replied: “I would be more than happy to reply in English. I am always available for you Baalu sahab in every language that I know; I am at your service.”
Goa Forward Party chief Vijay Sardesai was all gung ho about his one-on-one meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. He had every reason to be. That is because his trip to Delhi not only established his equations with the Congress high command but also helped him take a swipe at the TMC which had poached his party functionary. In a slap to the TMC, Sardesai snitched an independent MLA Prasad Gaonkar from South Goa backing the TMC and brought him to Delhi. The TMC was naturally livid with Sardesai’s Delhi visit and his pact with the Congress. It took to social media to attack him. Of course, on his return to Panaji, Sardesai found his gains were short-lived. His third MLA Jayesh Salgaonkar had shifted to the BJP. It was felt Salgaonkar, who was a businessman and belonged to North Goa, may have been under pressure to switch to the BJP. At the national level, the BJP has been making new acquisitions. Manjinder Singh Sirsa, a close associate of the Badals, joined the party. Belonging to Haryana, Sirsa is a prominent Delhi gurudwara leader.
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Opposition just does not know when it is going to lose the narrative. While the Opposition was planning to box in Modi, the PM caught the Opposition by surprise. First, he announced a roll-back of the three “contentious” farm laws on November 19. And 10 days later, on the first day of Winter Session of Parliament, 12 MPs in the Rajya Sabha from Opposition benches were suspended. Congress leaders privately admit that they were completely caught unaware that the Rajya Sabha Chair would penalise members for their unruly behaviour on the last day of Monsoon Session. “By reducing our bench strength, Modi has effectively shifted our goal post, Instead of discussing farmer issues, we are now discussing our issues,” rues Nasir Hussain, a suspended Congress MP from Karnataka. Rajya Sabha Chairman Naidu made it clear that there was no question of ignoring what happened on the last day of the Monsoon Session and the House was a continuous one. As for suspension of MPs, he said it could not be ignored that they were from the list of 33 people who had been named for their misconduct on August 11. Members were given an opportunity to explain their conduct and apologise. Instead of apology the Opposition has opted for confrontation with the Chair. No one wins here, only the Chair in Rajya Sabha does.
After Rae Bareli Congress MLA Aditi Singh defected and joined the BJP last week, many wonder if her husband Angad Singh, who is a Congress MLA in Punjab (NawanShahr Assembly Seat) would be spared by the party leadership. It is quite possible that Congress may not renominate Angad as a party candidate. But then, Aditi and Angad may not be the only couple who would be at the receiving end of the party high command’s ire. Last week the Gandhis went all out to embarrass Perneet Kaur, Patiala Lok Sabha MP, and the wife of Capt Amarinder Singh. A show-cause notice was issued to her for publicly stating that she stands with her husband. The notice was issued by Punjab in-charge Harish Choudhary. Normally, notices to MPs are sent out by the AICC. Punjab Congress leaders are amused that the Gandhis should be more worried about Capt Amarinder Singh forming a party than take action against former minister and Ludhiana MP Manish Tewari who went all out to damage the UPA government with his book or Salman Khurshid who posed a lot of problems for the party with his book. In his book, Tewari laid bare how the UPA government had not acted strongly enough post 26/11.
Ever since his appointment as general secretary in June this year, Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has been wielding enormous clout in the party. No, it has nothing to do with him enabling his aunt Mamata Banerjee to return to power for the third time in West Bengal. Of course he is credited with hiring election strategist Prashant Kishor who enabled the TMC to overcome jinx of incumbency. But at the heart of hero-worshipping the 34-year-old Diamond Harbour MP is a deeper tale of heart-burn. Abhishek has become so powerful in the TMC, that now no one feels the need to queue up before the aunt. They feel now it is better that issues of organisation and state issues are left with bhaipo (nephew in Bengali). And the bua or pishi (aunt in Bengali) is left to handle higher, national-level goals. Yet what has upset the TMC rank and file is the manner in which Abhishek has given away Rajya Sabha seats from Bengal to outsiders — like Sushmita Dev and former Goa CM Luizhno Faleiro. While many don’t grudge Sushmita who hails from Assam as she speaks Bengali, Faliero being rewarded with RS berth, has not gone down too well. Faleiro was entrusted with responsibility of spreading the TMC in Goa and doesn’t seem to have delivered much on ground.
While on Goa and the TMC, it is important to note that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is so obsessed in having Goa Forward Party (GFP) leader Vijay Sardesai by her side that she first insisted that he merge his party with hers, when he refused and preferred to go along with the Congress, she struck on him by snitching a senior GFP functionary Kiran Khandolkar belonging to North Goa. As if that was not enough, she deployed poll strategist Prashant Kishor to do an alliance talk with Sardesai. PK is a glib talker and keeps visiting Goa to keep up Mamata’s deadlines. Not that Khandholkar’s exit would affect GFP’s electoral fortunes — apparently, he is much of a grassroots leader, it certainly may possibly hit Sardesai’s bargaining with the Congress. GFP is looking to contest between six to eight seats in alliance with the Congress. Looks like Mamata is determined to wipe out the Congress as the main player among secular parties in Goa. Aiding her in this task of unmaking the Congress in the state are two former Congress CMs — one of course is Luiznho Faleiro. The other is still in Congress and is its South Goa MP — Francisco Sardinha.
In a big, bold gesture, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stooped to reach out to Sikh farmers in Punjab by announcing repeal of contentious three farm laws on the occasion of Gurpurab. In a national address, he apologised to farmers who have been protesting for close to a year against the farm laws and declared that all three laws will be repealed in the upcoming winter session of Parliament beginning November 29. Punjab’s former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh welcomed it. In fact, he had insisted on resolution of farm laws as pre-condition for his alliance with BJP. The former Punjab CM is launching Punjab Lok Congress. There are about 20% Hindu votes in urban Punjab areas, usually aligned with the BJP; an alliance with the BJP is viewed as useful to clinch elections. Rakesh Singh Tikait seemed defiant and said he will call off the agitation only after the Bill is repealed in the Parliament. But, those in support of the Bill were shocked by the expediency displayed by the Government. Was it merely to secure an election victory in Uttar Pradesh? Or make some gains in Punjab? Or is it the prospect of unrest being fueled from across the border in Punjab? People in the know say issues of security seem to have weighed on the minds of PM Modi. From cracking down on PIOs who were funding the agitation, to blocking visas of some Canadian employees to increasing the BSF patrol of up to 50 km in border states, the Government wants to ensure that there is no misadventure in a border state. Shetkhari Sanghatna chief Anil Ghanwat, who was part of the Supreme Court appointed panel to find a solution, feels the move to withdraw laws is the most retrograde step: “After this no Government in India will have courage to initiate agriculture reforms for next 30 years.”
Even as the Supreme Court warned the AAP Government in Delhi that it could order an audit of its advertisement spending if it did not submit an action plan soon enough to combat toxic air in the national capital, the warning got the BJP to dig out an RTI reply given by the Arvind Kejriwal Government. Citing an RTI reply and statement in the Delhi Assembly given by the Kejriwal Government, the BJP showed how the AAP leadership was more busy promoting itself than in tackling pollution. “As per information provided by the Government, we see the AAP Government bought a biodegradable solution from Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa for Rs 40,000. The solution was to be used on paralis or rice stubble. The programme covered 310 farmers in the National Capital Region. So far so good,” points out BJP spokesperson Dr Sambit Patra. However, what takes the cake is the money splurged by the Kejriwal Government to disseminate information about its efforts to check stubble burning via ads all over India. “The AAP Government spent close to Rs 16 crore on ads about itself. It tried to educate even people in Kerala about what it is doing in Delhi. This also we came to know via RTI,” said Dr Patra.
Actor Kangana Ranaut’s remarks that India’s Independence from the British was bheekh and that “real freedom was won in May 2014” has hardly amused the BJP. Though she may have made politically incorrect noises about India winning freedom only after Narendra Modi came to power, the party is simply going nowhere near this pretty young woman from Himachal Pradesh. Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil was the first to openly denounce the decorated actor’s views. With the Modi government all geared up to celebrate the 75th year of India’s Independence, one can hardly expect the party to endorse her views. “Kanagana is not a member of the BJP, why should we even be talking about her,” says a party spokesperson. This even as the Congress took to the streets, launching public protest against her. There is no doubt that the 34-year-old actor is a self-made person who has carved a niche for herself in the big, bad Mumbai film world. It speaks volumes about her grit and determination. As for her assessment about the freedom movement, guess it was not meant to be taken seriously.
Though it was not spelt out in as many words, a major cause for concern for Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his interactions with his Council of Ministers through the chintan shivir last week was that his ministers must focus on the job at hand rather than on speaking to the media. Modi, who inducted several new faces during Cabinet reshuffle in July, is apparently quite a worried man. Not for his own sake but what may actually befall some of his ministerial colleagues. He is worried that some of them may be tricked into speaking with the media. He could not but help reminding the new ministers that what befell former BJP president late Bangaru Laxman in 2001 should not happen to them. He reminded them that how a trap was set for the first ever Dalit president of the BJP by a Congress-backed magazine in a sting operation. Modi’s real worry may not be surreal since now the Congress is more frustrated after setbacks in Rafale and Pegasus and may be inclined to go all out to ensnare NDA ministers. Though such incidents may not personally affect Modi, his ministers were warned that individually their careers could get ruined.
Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi’s signature in Hindi in official communications is one thing that has stumped the state government. Allergic to anything in Devanagiri, the DMK leaders have been wondering if the Governor has deliberately chosen the script to irritate the DMK leaders. Hailing from Bihar, Ravi made it clear that he has always been signing in Hindi. Just as the Tamil leaders make it a point to sign in their mother tongue. Of course, apart from signature issues, the Governor had sought details of welfare schemes from the state government. During the floods too, he was quite hands-on, speaking with the NDRF DG. As for Chief Minister MK Stalin, he has been quite unhappy with floods which brought Chennai to a grinding halt. Hoping to take a break from work and travel abroad for a health check-up, he was upset with Chennai rains for a different reason. In a review meeting with MPs and civic officials, he apparently regretted that the scenes in the southern city seemed so much like a replay of what happened in 2015 when AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa was in office. He is worried about the impact it would have on upcoming urban body civic polls. He has also pulled up the civic staff for lack of preparation for the storm.
It almost seems an intense fight for Muslim votes has broken out among secular parties in Uttar Pradesh. First, the Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav praised MA Jinnah. Then there was Salman Khurshid trashing Hindutva, equating it with ISIS and Boko Haram in his book Sunrise Over Ayodhya. His party colleague Rashid Alvi from UP joined him with a word of caution about Ram Bhakts. Giving a boost to Khurshid and Alvi, Rahul Gandhi also sought to drive a wedge between Hinduism and Hindutva– describing it as a hateful ideology of RSS/BJP. The only sane voice was from CWC member Ghulam Nabi Azad. In this backdrop it is interesting to know that the Oxford educated former Union Minister Salman Khurshid was actually hoping to score a legal point through his book. He says he had been studying through the 1,500-page order of 2019 Supreme Court order. He admits no one had hoped there would be a resolution to the vexed issue of Ram Janmabhoomi temple but somehow the Apex Court had found one. But no one would have expected a book from the Congress stable – that was bound to be a political disaster. Earlier, Congress president Sonia Gandhi was upset with Khurshid for his book – The Other Side of the Mountain wherein he had suggested that Pranab Mukherjee should have been made the PM.
Akhilesh Yadav, Samajwadi Party chief and the principal challenger to UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, is supposed to be rolling up his sleeves for this crucial battle early next year. In a sign that his heart is not really into the battle, the Opposition leader launched his campaign not by making poll promises; instead he chose to launch a perfume — Samajwadi Sugand or the fragrance of socialism. The perfume comes in a red-and-green glass bottle (the party colours) and is made of 22 natural ingredients from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, signifying the diversity of India. SP leaders say the launch of perfume should not be seen as a non-serious gesture. It was launched in Kannauj which is the Lok Sabha constituency of his wife Dimple. The place is known for perfume making and was produced by a Samajwadi worker. Besides perfume, Akhilesh also tried to tap Muslim voters by heaping praise on Mohammed Ali Jinnah (credited with dividing India to create Pakistan for Muslims). He hailed Jinnah as a freedom fighter on par with Gandhi, Nehru and Patel. If Akhilesh hopes voters would be thrilled with Samajwadi ittars and happily vote for the Cycle in solidarity with “brotherhood”, he would be mistaken. Party workers already feel the Samajwadi leadership has been too tight-fisted as it doesn’t see a prospect of a comeback.
Poll reverses in Himachal Pradesh where the BJP lost one Lok Sabha and three Assembly seats in by-elections was one reason that may have well forced the Modi government to rein in galloping fuel prices. However, a closer look at the Mandi Lok Sabha by-elections may reveal that the winner — Pratibha Virbhadra Singh — was not such a popular candidate. Apparently, no one in the Congress was keen that she should win as she is known to be quite an inaccessible person. Widow of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh seems to have won the seat through a series of happy coincidences. Her victory margin — 7,490 votes — against BJP candidate Brigadier (Retd) Khushal Thakur is actually less than the 12,626 NOTA votes polled. Which means there were not many who overwhelmingly voted in her favour. But then it is being said that even the BJP cadre was also not happy with the ticket going to Brig Thakur, a Kargil war hero. That means dislike for official candidates seems to have plagued both the parties and reflected in high NOTA. As for the Congress winning in three Assembly seats in the state it is being said the BJP did not take the challenge seriously. Officially, of course, chief minister Jairam Thakur acknowledged that high fuel prices may have made voters angry.
Clearly, the star of the one-day BJP national executive was Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai who got the opportunity to second the political resolution; UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was the mover of the resolution. Annamalai was not only handpicked for the task but Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself chose to introduce the 37-year-old former Karnataka cadre IPS officer to the audience. This after BJP President JP Nadda had already finished doing the honours. Speaking about Annamalai, Modi was quoted as saying that as an officer he had a bright future in his profession; in politics he could have also chosen regional parties like AIADMK or the DMK, but he zeroed in on the BJP for probity and clean politics. BJP leaders felt the way PM showered encomiums on Annamalai, it certainly seemed he was the chosen one. Under Annamalai’s stewardship since July this year, the state BJP has been making rapid strides. The BJP made gains in panchayat elections in nine districts in northern Tamil Nadu. Modi focused on looking at the silver lining – without making any reference to Himachal reverses. Annamalai’s success in a hostile environment like TN was worth showcasing to the party cadre. The spotlight was also on the decisive win in Telangana; and vote accretion in Badvel (SC) in AP, and in Ellenabad in Haryana amid farm law protests.
In Karnataka, the loss of Hangal Assembly seat to the Congress in the by-election should actually be seen as something that is of BJP’s own making. Here the party seems to be caught in a web of misery because of its principles. Refusing to cash in on sympathy factor and deciding against fielding close family members of deceased candidates, the BJP needlessly lost a seat to the Congress. It seems the party decided against fielding either daughter-in-law or son of the late six- term MLA CM Udasi whose death necessitated the by-election. Karnataka State BJP committee too had rooted for his son Shivkumar Udasi, a Lok Sabha MP from Haveri. Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai too wanted someone from the family. “If someone from the family had contested, BJP would have secured the seat by 20,000 votes,” admitted a BJP source. Chief Minister Bommai who camped for 10 days in Hangal to secure the seat was quite disappointed. The seat was narrowly lost. Close to his backyard, the loss of Lingayat-dominated seat seemed like a slap on his face. Of course, the only people who were happy were supporters of former Chief Minister BS Yedyurappa. They saw this as a good time to push for rehabilitation of his son BY Vijayendra by linking Hangal loss to unhappiness of Lingayats.
Nothing more upset supporters of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee than the warm meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pope Francis on October 30 at the Vatican. Modi pulled off a surprise by not only calling on the Pope but also extending an invitation to visit India. It would be the first such visit after a gap of 22 years. RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale welcomed PM’s meeting as well as invitation. Modi presented the Pope with a book on a topic close to his heart — The Challenges Of Climate Change: Children On The Front Line. The invite for papal visit had a positive impact with Kerala Catholic Bishop Council looking forward to it. Only TMC backers looked distraught and began to question Modi’s timing of the invite. Was it timed with Goa polls? Mamata had spent three days in Goa. A third term CM of a large state such as West Bengal, she was scouting fish markets of Mapusa to fraternise with locals. Journalists from Kolkata were brought to chronicle the beginning of her journey from “Goa to Delhi.” Did Mamata zero in on Goa thinking that since Modi became PM only because it was at Goa BJP National Executive in 2013 that he had been declared PM candidate for 2014 Lok Sabha elections, she too must start from Panaji!
In an interesting move, Union Home Minister Amit Shah went all out endorsing UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath as BJP’s face for 2022 state assembly elections. He said electing Yogi in 2022 was very necessary if people wanted PM Modi to be re-elected in 2024. Shah appealed that “Modiji ko ek aur mauka dijijye, Yogiji ko mukhyamantriji banadijiye” (Give Modi one more opportunity. Make Yogi chief minister again). Shah’s fulsome endorsement of Yogi nixed speculation about the status of his relationship with the UP leader. For some time there has been a view that there was perhaps an undercurrent between the two leaders close to Modi. Age-wise, Shah and Yogi are almost contemporaries; both in their 50s; though Shah is a couple of years older than the UP CM. In terms of profile, both leaders are known to aggressively pursue Hindu causes and interests. So it is in this context that Shah’s backing of Yogi becomes significant. In 2017, Amit Shah as BJP President, had tirelessly worked for his party’s astounding victory in UP and helped Yogi become CM for the first time. Last week, Shah returned to Lucknow to launch BJP’s campaign for 2022. People who worked with him in the past such as UP BJP General Secretary Sunil Bansal are also in the team as key strategists. Union HRD Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has been given charge of the state.
Mid-October, Rahul Gandhi surprised CWC members by praising Charanjit Singh Channi’s humility. He informed them how Channi broke into tears on being told he has to take over as Punjab CM. Channi had become emotional because in a state dominated by Jat Sikhs he had never expected a Dalit like him to be picked as CM. However, today no one in Punjab Congress is sure if Chief Minister Channi continues to be Rahul’s favourite. Reason: Channi chose to ignore October 31– Indira Gandhi’s death anniversary. This was in stark contrast to what his predecessor Capt Amarinder Singh used to do: issue advertisements paying tribute to the slain PM. Mind you, Capt Singh was someone who had quit the Congress in protest against Operation Blue Star and resigned as Congress MP in 1984. This difference in approach to Indira Gandhi between Channi and Capt Singh was brought to fore by former Punjab PCC Sunil Jakhar. Meanwhile, the appointment of Jagdish Tytler — someone allegedly linked to 1984 anti-Sikh riots — as permanent invitee in Delhi PCC has evoked mixed reactions. On his part, Rahul Gandhi stayed aloof and preferred to tweet a video of the last moments of his dear dadi’s funeral. As for Channi’s tears, he must be shedding more of it now considering Sidhu has almost become adversarial, questioning every policy decision of his.
Sparring between the RJD and the Congress has peaked so much that the national party outright denied a claim put out by RJD chief Lalu Prasad that Congress President Sonia Gandhi had telephoned him and inquired about his well-being. Lalu’s phone claim was debunked by none other than Congress’s Bihar-in charge Bhakta Charan Das, a Dalit leader from Western Odisha. And Lalu had been dismissive of him and called him “a stupid man” who was helping the NDA by fielding candidates in the forthcoming by-elections without consulting the RJD. In this backdrop, it is interesting to know why Lalu made a fake claim that Sonia Gandhi had telephoned him. Was it to confuse voters or Congress workers ahead of the by-elections to two assembly seats in Bihar — Kusheshwar Asthan (SC seat) and Tarapu — on October 30? It has almost become a prestige battle between the Congress and the RJD, UPA allies who had fought the 2020 assembly polls together. During the assembly polls, the Congress had fought and lost Kusheshwar by a narrow margin. This time the RJD decided to field a candidate in a seat it had left to the Congress constituency and is accusing the Congress of not consulting it. The by-elections have been caused due to deaths of sitting JD(U) MLAs. And usually, in such polls candidates of the incumbent government have an edge.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had stayed overnight in a cave near Kedarnath Temple in the run up to 2019 Lok Sabha elections, will be visiting the temple again on November 5 but for a different purpose. It was Modi’s stay in the cave that had led it to becoming a big tourist draw. This time Modi is going there to inaugurate Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi that was reconstructed after the destruction in 2013 floods. The entire reconstruction work has been undertaken under his guidance. His guidance is visible not only in major governance reforms but also in forging high performance ministerial teams. Not only in the way files –that too e-files will move within the government departments but also in the way ministers themselves will move. As regards to movement of e-files, it has been decided that they will not move beyond four hands or four levels before a decision is taken on them by ministers. As for ministers themselves, Modi suggested that the ministers could have a carpooling system to come for meetings like the Council of Ministers — such as the one he had held recently. Carpooling, he felt, would not only save energy but also give them an opportunity to share information about their ministries with each other. The idea is to get one Cabinet minister and two junior ministers in the same car
Looks like West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s plans to make a big bang start in Goa on October 28 may not quite happen. That is because she is not able to get the right kind of line-up of leaders — from the Congress and other smaller parties — to join her Trinamool Congress (TMC). Her key advisor strategist Prashant Kishor (PK) has been working on it for weeks. Yet he has not been able to make much headway. Initially, PK was lucky in persuading former CM Luizinho Faleiro, ex- Goa Pradesh Congress Committee chief, to join the TMC. Faleiro had helped the Congress clinch a big win in 2017 by picking up 17 of the 40 seats — the BJP won only 13 seats and yet managed to form the government with the support of smaller parties. Faleiro is expected to draw the right mix of leaders to the TMC Goa but there has not been much headway. Of Goa’s 40 seats, 21 are from the largely Hindu North and 19 seats from the mainly Catholic South. Mamata is keen on getting Goa Forward Party leader Vijai Sardesi (who is seen tilting towards Congress’ working president Alexio Sequeira) and his two MLAs. Mamata even got a high profile TV anchor who flaunts his Goa connection and common surname to boot to call up Vijai Sardesai.
While in Delhi, the newly appointed Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi prefers to stay in his MS Flats at RK Puram than in the Governor’s suite in Tamil Nadu Bhavan in Chanakyapuri — which is part of the diplomatic enclave in the national capital. He had been staying in this flat during his long service in IB and retained it when he was the Governor of Nagaland till he was sent to Chennai. His visit to Delhi a month after taking charge has the ruling DMK worried. This is because he held a lengthy meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah and then called on PM Narendra Modi. DMK leaders wonder what may be cooking. Apparently, Chief Minister MK Stalin doesn’t want any confrontation with the Governor nor with PM Modi. Finance Minister Dr P Thiaga Rajan (PTR) too has piped down his confrontation with the Centre. It may be noted that Governor Ravi’s daughter Prof Shamika Ravi was a member of PM’s Economic Advisory Council.
As sought by him for some time now, Harish Rawat, former Uttarakhand CM, has been relieved of charge as AICC General Secretary handling election-bound Punjab. The Congress leadership has replaced Rawat with Rajasthan Revenue minister Harish Chaudhary, considered close to Rahul Gandhi. Rawat, 73, will, however, continue to be a CWC member – and chairman of the campaign committee for the Congress in the forthcoming Uttarakhand assembly polls. His hands had been too full trying to find a solution to tame a forever recalcitrant Punjab PCC chief Navjot Sidhu. Chief Minister Chandrajit Singh Channi has also been at wit’s end to meet Sidhu’s requirements. Initially, there were a lot of misgivings about Rawat’s equations with the Gandhis – as it was felt that he was not focusing enough on the return of all Congress leaders who had joined the BJP back to the party-fold. Interestingly, orders to relieve Rawat of his Punjab charge were issued on October 21 – that is on a day when Capt Amarinder Singh lashed out against Rawat for questioning his secular credentials because of his possible alliance with the BJP. “Don’t forget that the Congress took Navjot Sindh Sidhu after he was with the BJP for 14 years. And where did Nana Patole and Revanth come from if not RSS.” He also sought to know what the Congress was doing with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra.
A Congress Working Committee meeting is specially convened by Sonia Gandhi to tell an unenthused Congress cadre that it has no choice beyond Gandhi family or how she is still full-time party chief and there is no such thing as interim president. Sonia got what she wanted; managed to get all 38 members to endorse whatever AK Anthony and three Chief Ministers said — that is to urge Rahul Gandhi to return as Congress President. Yet, what added spice to the discussions was not a call to Rahul but the sycophantic remarks purportedly made by CWC member from Kashmir Valley, Tariq Hameed Karra who extolled Jawaharlal Nehru’s role in getting Kashmir to become part of India. He apparently claimed that Sardar Patel had colluded with Jinnah and was keen to keep Valley out of India. The BJP reacted by asking if Sonia would drop Karra from the CWC. New to Congress, Karra didn’t seem worried about Patel’s role or legacy. The CWC story is not Karra’s remarks but who leaked the closed door CWC proceedings to the media? Fingers apparently are pointing to a few G-23 members. By giving out details of Karra’s remarks at the proceedings, the defiant Congress leaders finally seem to be getting their back at Sonia who took a swipe at them in her opening remarks.
Amit Khare’s appointment as adviser in the PMO (upon his retirement as Secretary to Government of India) for a two-year period indicates he is probably set for much longer innings. The Jharkhand cadre 1985 batch IAS officer, who officially retired on September 30, may not have superannuated as Cabinet Secretary but he can still hope to have higher career goals. Valued as an upright, efficient officer who helmed two crucial policy decisions for the Modi Government — the National Educational Policy 2020 and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rule 2021 or the IT Rules — Khare has always enjoyed the confidence of his bosses. In the UPA years, he served ministers such as Kapil Sibal and Pallam Raju. So, what made PM Narendra Modi pick Khare for his team? It is said that credit for zeroing in on Khare should actually go to incumbent Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba. It is said Gauba was approached by Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das to take over as state Chief Secretary. At that time Gauba was posted in the IT ministry. It was Gauba who picked Amit Khare as Additional Chief Secretary (Finance & Planning) in Jharkhand. Given his administrative track record, Khare could eventually hope to become principal secretary to the PM.
Why does Navjot Singh Sidhu come across as a problem child throwing tantrums every other day? Barely two days after it was announced that he had withdrawn his resignation following a meeting with Rahul Gandhi and AICC General Secretary Harish Rawat, and it was assured that he would be back working as Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president, Sidhu flagged a 13-point agenda on his Twitter handle for the forthcoming assembly elections. Ironically, he was mainly listing all the non-achievements of the local Congress Government in the last four and half years. Sidhu’s critics in Punjab Congress were livid that he had gone public with his letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi particularly on a day when she had told members of the Congress Working Committee that they must communicate directly with her and not go to the media. The former test cricketer is a very frustrated man and is so very unpredictable ever since Charanjit Singh Channi, a Dalit leader has been appointed as CM replacing Capt. Amarinder Singh. Not that Channi’s appointment has enhanced Congress prospects. “If Channi and Sidhu continue to be at loggerheads, Congress will be wiped out,” fear party seniors. Support for the Aam Admi Party seems to be surging even without a Jat Sikh face. And this is Sidhu’s frustration.
Soon after mother-son duo Maneka and Varun Gandhi were dropped from the National Executive of BJP, the central decision-making body, there was speculation that Varun would join his cousin Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra. There was a buzz that he might even show up at her Congress kissan rally in Varanasi. Though no such thing happened. His exclusion is attributed to his indiscreet utterances on the Lakhimpur Kheri incident that saw a hit-and-run accident and retaliatory lynchings, leaving eight dead. On his part Varun played down his exclusion by saying that he had never attended any of National Executive meetings in the last five years. However, BJP sources say, Varun’s activities have been under the radar of the top bosses for the last five years. In 2016, Varun had found himself embroiled in a major controversy after he was accused of leaking military secrets to an arms dealer and weapon manufacturers after being “honey-trapped.” Varun did toy with the idea of leaving BJP five years ago when Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka sent word through an intermediary. But eventually he decided to bide his time, fearing action over allegations, and also because of Maneka’s equations with Sonia. Sheltered during Vajpayee rule, now it looks likely that Maneka and Varun won’t get a ticket to contest the Lok Sabha polls in 2024. And Maneka may not mind Varun joining hands with Priyanka. But, will Rahul welcome his cousin?
Union Home Minister Amit Shah decided to give an interview on 20 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s elective politics. Interestingly, he did not choose any of the private channels to air his views. Rather, he chose to speak to Sansad TV — a relaunched Parliament TV. Interestingly, it was aired on a day Congress leader Priyanka Vadra addressed a kissan nyay rally at Varanasi. The Shah interview naturally monopolised airtime as all private channels went live with the interview. Sansad TV, a news channel that has combined the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha TV, was launched on September 15, 2021. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called it the new voice of the Parliament. In a break from the past, the news channel is roping in well-known MPs from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to host their own shows or conduct panel discussions. First, one saw Congress MP Shashi Tharoor interview renowned Kathak danseuse Shovana Narayan and painter Anjali Ela Menon. Other well-known names that will be regularly seen on the channel are: Economist and author Dr Bibek Debroy who will be hosting a show on religion. Former diplomat Vikas Swarup will moderate a show on foreign affairs while Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant will be doing a weekly show on government reforms. Well, it seems interesting on the face of it.
TRENDS & VIEWS
Editor’s Note: Big Punch In Small Pack
It is the Third Anniversary of Short Post and as a news media startup launched during the Covid-19 pandemic it certainly feels better than good to find ourselves where we are today. Here, I must cite the unstinted support of our seasoned contributors, all senior editors in the country, who brought a great degree of maturity and sagacity to the Short Post newsroom. But for them, our tagline “Authentic Gossip”, an Oxymoron, would not have matured viably. Our user numbers may be small but our stories have created the desired impact among people who matter — decision makers and influencers. We offer a big punch in a small pack and Short Post with its 225-word stories has been punching above its weight category. Having posted close to 3,000 stories in the last 36 months, Short Post, I feel, is an idea whose time has come.
And this is vindicated by our two marquee advertisers – IDFC FIRST Bank and ICICI Lombard. Both believed in our story and have supported us from Day one. A big thank you to both.
If you look at the media landscape – print, TV and digital — it is a mixed bag. There are job losses as some outfits have closed down while a lucky few were bailed out by large corporate houses. Yes, there is a lot of action in the digital space. However, the entry of corporate houses has raised the question of independence of news media outfits. Sadly, there are just a handful of independent media outfits in the country that are highly respected for their neutrality. At Short Post, our credo is not to take sides, prejudge issues or be biased but, informing readers of behind-the-scenes happenings. In essence, Short Post strives to be a neutral editorial platform — neither anti-establishment nor pro-establishment.
As I said last year, disruptions in the media world are moving at a fast and furious pace. Technology is playing a very big role in how content is generated and consumed. But, we are neither alarmed nor perturbed as it is all a part of the evolution process. What gives us comfort is that AI is unable to create original gossipy content. And that is the news arena where we have achieved a distinction.