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Taking Cue From BJP, Cong Deploys Outsiders As Observers To Monitor Maharashtra Polls
Even as the Election Commission finalised polling date for Maharashtra as November 20, the Congress took a lesson from the BJP playbook and appointed senior leaders from other states to manage the polls in Maharashtra as observers. The high-profile team includes former CMs like Ashok Gehlot, Bhupesh Baghel and Charanjit Channi. Karnataka deputy CM G Parameshwara, former deputy CMs TR Singhdeo and Sachin Pilot. The team also includes two Telangana ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy and D Anasuya Seethakka. Deployment of a super team comes right after Congress’ debacle in Haryana elections where BJP won for the third time, securing 48 seats despite exit polls predicting a definite win for the Congress, which was able to secure only 37 seats. One of the reasons that was attributed to the party’s loss is leaving it all to former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and Karnataka deputy CM G Parameshwara have been assigned Mumbai and Konkan region while Vidarbha region will be handled by former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and former Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi and Madhya Pradesh MLA and former minister Umang Singhar. Former Rajasthan deputy CM Sachin Pilot and senior Telangana minister Uttam Kumar Reddy have been deputed to Marathwada region while former Chhattisgarh deputy CM TS Singhdeo and senior Karnataka minister MB Patil have been assigned Western Maharashtra. Senior Rajya Sabha MP Syed Nasser Hussain and senior Telangana minister D Anasuya Seethakka have been asked to look after North Maharashtra. For Jharkhand, the party has appointed a 3-member team headed by Tariq Anwar and Adhir Ranjan Choudhary. Meanwhile, the party has declared Priyanka Gandhi as Wayanad Lok Sabha candidate.
yogi aditnath
Yogi's Social Media Policy Kicks Off A Follow-Up In Karnataka
UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath was much in the news recently for launching Uttar Pradesh Digital Media Policy, 2024, under which it was decided to prepare a list of social media influencers who will receive state advertisements for promoting schemes and achievements of the state government. Those sharing information on government schemes, initiatives and projects were offered a choice of earning up to Rs 8 lakh through government’s advertisements. The influencers were to be rated according to the number of subscribers and followers they have on online platforms. These influencers were to be paid a maximum of Rs 5 lakh, Rs 4 lakh, Rs 3 lakh and Rs 2 lakh for their accounts on X, Facebook and Instagram. Yogi’s move provoked a caustic post from Congress leader Priyanka Vadra who tweeted saying, “Jo tum ko pasand vahi baat kahenge,tum dinko agar raat kaho to hum raat kahenge.” She went on to ask in which category will the voices of women seeking justice fall in the social media policy of the UP government? Netizens promptly trolled her as they found that it was not the first time that a state government was using social media influencers. Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot had relied on influencers in the run-up state elections in 2023. AAP ruled Punjab had already incentivised influencers.  Around the same time as Yogi, the Congress government in Karnataka too had announced it would engage influencers and other digital media entities with 1 lakh followers to promote its schemes and programmes. In Telangana, CM Revanth Reddy has hired former Deccan Chronicle Editor Sriram Karri as media & communications director.  Of course, media outreach that began in the states has a Delhi dimension too.  It is being said PM Modi has already initiated his series of informal interactions with journos.
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PM Modi Faces State Assemblies With Aplomb, Readies For Lok Sabha Polls Faceoff
PM Narendra Modi’s political gambit to field himself as BJP’s face in just concluded state assemblies in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana was a success except in Telangana. This was deliberately done to the detriment of (Rani) Vasundhara Raje, (Mamaji) Shivraj Singh Chouhan, (Chawalwala Baba) Raman Singh in the first three states, initiated long ago. Post results, benevolent Modi may even prefer Jyotiraditya Scindia. The Congress’ political intransigence to encourage new blood into the party stream cost them growth, national acceptability and now, regional acceptance as national party of choice. Modi became PM of India in April 2014 and immediately elevated veteran party leaders from Maharashtra including Nitin Gadkari, Gopinath Munde as Union Ministers clearing the field for young Turks in BJP to take over. The fresh blood leadership potential being emphasized included Devendra Fadnavis, Ashish Shelar, Vinod Tawde, Sudhir Mungantiwaar in Maharashtra. Fadnavis subsequently made the cut for CM ship after the November 2014 state assemblies. MP CM Mamaji followed Modi to Delhi subsequently. Congress on the other hand, failed to similarly empower Jyotiraditya Scindia (in MP) or Sachin Pilot (in Rajasthan) after capturing power, cowing down to veteran politicians Kamal Nath and Ashok Gehlot. With Scindia going saffron consequently and Pilot’s failed teacup storm of rebellion curtailed by the Zadugar of Rajasthan, the political future in both states appears bleak for the Congress party. The I.N.D.I.A front led by the only other national political party in Bharat will face an acid test come April 2024.
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Cong Insulates Gandhis From Rout In Hindi Heartland
No sooner did the assembly results indicated that the BJP was winning the three states in the Hindi heartland — Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, a Congress spokesperson was alert enough to embark on her next important political task. That of insulating both Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka from any blame of losing these polls. She promptly told a national TV, “Can we blame our CMs and our PCC chiefs who were given full freedom, for failing to deliver the states?” She was referring to the leeway and free hand given to outgoing CMs Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, and Kamal Nath as PCC chief in Madhya Pradesh. The Congress high command had not interfered at all in election work in these three states, but Gandhis did offer Karnataka-like guarantees. Yet people seem to have opted for PM Modi’s assurance of delivery on governance. The much awaited reality of Ram Mandir being open to people from January 2024 also seems to have worked on the voters. If anything came as a surprise, Congress sources admitted that it was losing Chhattisgarh from its fold. As Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam tersely put it, the party had been sunk by the curse of “sanatan dharma”. As for winning Telangana, the Congress feels it has only the BJP to thank for. If the BJP had not removed Bandi Sanjay Kumar as state chief “We wouldn’t have been voted in.  Everyone was sick and tired of KCR and his family,” says a Congress leader.
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Sonia Rushed To Jaipur To Pep Up Gehlot, After A Rub In With Rahul
When Congress leader Sonia Gandhi shifted to Jaipur as Delhi’s air pollution level spiked last week post Diwali there were a lot of concerns about her health. More than that, many in the party wondered about the real purpose of her visit. Did she really choose Jaipur to recover from horrible Delhi weather or there is more than that meets the eye? Sonia was apparently there to iron out differences between CM Ashok Gehlot and son Rahul. Party sources said it seemed only logical. That’s because whenever she is advised by her doctors to shift to a place where the air is not so polluted as in Delhi, she usually visits Goa; .Jaipur can’t be considered a health resort. Sonia rushed to Jaipur after Rahul had a head-on clash with CM Gehlot over ticket distribution. Party sources said Gehlot was heard asserting how he has been a two-term CM and has the experience to pick and endorse candidates on his list. Sonia decided to have a pep talk with Gehlot and make it easy for Rahul. Clearly, the CM was visibly upset with the way Congress leadership denied tickets to his close aide Mahesh Joshi from his Hawa Mahal constituency in Jaipur.  Last year, Joshi along with three other ministers — Shanti Dhariwal, Pratap Khachariyawas and Dharmendra Rathore were served show-cause notices for going against the party whip in 2022. While the high command decided to spare Dhariwal and Khachariyawas, axe fell on Joshi and Rathore.
Karnataka contracter association
Karnataka Contractors’ Woes Didn't End With Polls
Income-tax raids in Bengaluru which had led to recovery of Rs 80 crore cash from contractors and two major infrastructure companies last week, created a lot of heartburn in Congress circles as the funds were headed for poll-bound Telangana. Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar is in charge of the poll-bound state. Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot held a presser in Delhi to charge that the BJP-led Centre was misusing probe agencies to target Opposition leaders even after enforcement of Model Code of Conduct, and urged both PM Modi and the EC to intervene. BJP sources said I-T authorities were most likely tipped off by the contractors who were harassed by the Congress government for bribes to clear their dues. In fact, the contractor whose house was raided was the most prominent face of the allegations of 40% commission against the previous BJP government. While the BJP charged that the builders were being blackmailed to pay bribes, BJP leader and former minister C T Ravi was quoted as saying that there were instances where a prominent infrastructure company, which was also constructing houses, was denied water connection because it refused to pay bribes to the incumbent government. Interestingly, soon after the I-T cash haul the Congress rushed its senior leaders RS Surjewala and KC Venugopal to Bengaluru to gather “resources” for redeployment to election-going Madhya Pradesh. The Karnataka BJP targeted the Congress on corruption and released an ‘ATM Sarkara Collection Tree’ poster.
BJP caste census
State Assembly Elections: BJP Gets Off With Candidates List, Cong Pushes For Caste Census
Battling fatigue in Madhya Pradesh where it has been in power for two decades, the BJP moved to a headstart as it released a fourth list containing a list of 57 candidates for the upcoming assembly polls. It did not wait for the auspicious start of the Navaratris or the end of pitru paksh to release the candidates list for MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. It released the lists as soon as the EC announced a month-long poll schedule for five state assemblies. Beginning with voting in Mizoram and Chhattisgarh on November 7, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh (2nd phase) on November 17, Rajasthan on November 23, and Telangana on December 30, votes are to be counted on December 3. Ending speculations, MP chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is contesting from Budhni. Like the MP list which featured Union ministers like Narendra Tomar and Prahlad Patel, the Rajasthan list has as many as seven Lok Sabha MPs. As for the Congress Working Committee which met to decide on assembly polls, sought to make “caste census” a poll strategy. The party pushed for a ‘Caste Census’ in the country.  Only last week, the outgoing Ashok Gehlot government issued orders for caste census in Rajasthan. Rahul Gandhi said “I think it is a very progressive step, a very powerful step for the emancipation of the poor people in our country.  We will force the BJP to carry out the caste census or make them get out of the way.”
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Uneasy Truce Between Baghel-Deo In Chhattisgarh; Gehlot Not Ready For Such A Truce In Rajasthan
With the appointment of TS Singh Deo as the Deputy Chief Minister of the Chhattisgarh government ahead of state elections due by the year-end, has the Congress secured possibilities of winning back the state? Deo who had initially announced he would not contest the 2023 elections and had even given up panchayati raj portfolio was seen as sulking as he was not made CM as initially promised. Congress leadership naturally panicked. Deo had delivered all the 14 tribal dominated Sarguja region seats in the 2018 assembly elections. In June 2021, the rivalry between CM Bhupesh Baghel and Deo surfaced briefly after Baghel completed two-and-a-half years as CM. Congress sources give credit for bringing rapprochement between Baghel and Deo to new AICC in-charge Kumari Selja.  She apparently was not biased towards the CM unlike previous AICC managers like PL Punia and decided to work on getting Deo back on board. Baghel-Deo truce could be fragile as Baghel, a prominent OBC face, decided to push his own tribal face from Sarguja region– Nand Kumar Sai — a former BJP leader who had joined the party as recently as in May. Congressmen feel Sai at 77 is too old. Meanwhile, one hears Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot is literally dragging his feet to reach a compromise with his squabbling deputy Sachin Pilot. Summoned by party chief Kharge to reach Delhi for a meeting on July 3, Gehlot is feigning a foot sore. Looks like CMs are learning a lot from Mamata di about how to fake it!
SachinPilot
Sachin Pilot Gives It Back To CM Gehlot: Hits The Ground Running To Mobilise Opinion
“BJP’s Vasundhara Raje Scindia is Ashok Gehlot’s leader, not Sonia Gandhi,” declared senior Rajasthan leader Sachin Pilot. Announcing a “Jan Sangharsh Yatra” from Ajmer to Jaipur on 11 May, he said he would take his demands to the people, particularly for action against BJP’s corruption. Pilot’s comments come two days after the Rajasthan CM said in Dholpur that he had survived an internal revolt in July 2020 because BJP’s former chief minister Scindia and her two close aides — Kailash Meghwal and Shobharani Khushwaha–refused to support a conspiracy to topple the government. Pilot – with the help of 18 MLAs — had rebelled against Gehlot but could not muster enough numbers to bring down the government. Pilot said “the Dholpur speech has made it clear why there has been no action against the previous Vasundhara Raje government.” Anyway it is not just Pilot who is hitting the ground running. PM Modi will be in Rajasthan too on May 10 inaugurating and lay the foundation stone of projects worth over Rs 5,500 crore. Meanwhile, Congress sources are raising eyebrows about Gehlot’s offer to “compensate” Congress MLAs crossing over to BJP at the behest of Pilot. 10 Janpath would certainly be squirming at the idea.
Sachin Pilot
Has Sachin Pilot Pushed His Luck Too Far By Attacking Gehlot Again?
In Rajasthan, for some time ruling Congress has been subject of regular jousts between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his bete noire Sachin Pilot. With assembly elections at the end of this year, Pilot thought it fit to launch a diatribe against Gehlot last week accusing him of not acting on corruption charges against BJP leader Vasundhara Raje. He even went ahead with a day-long protest over the CM’s inaction against Raje, in spite of being advised against it by the AICC. Pilot reportedly refused to speak to anyone other than the Gandhis. This confidence of the former Rajasthan PCC seemed somewhat misplaced. As neither Rahul nor Priyanka bothered to reach out to him. Congress sources admitted that Gehlot seemed to have developed better equations with the Gandhis so much so they felt any move to replace him would be like a repeat of Punjab where they had sacked Capt Amarinder Singh ahead of Punjab polls that led to collapse of the Congress in the state. PM Modi made best use of Gehlot-Pilot face off. At the launch of Rajasthan’s first Vande Bharat Express between Ajmer and Delhi, PM not only referred to Gehlot as a friend and praised him for attending the event despite the ongoing political crises in his party. Modi also put to rest speculations that Pilot could make his way into the BJP. By attacking Raje, Sachin has probably ruled himself out of the BJP.
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Rajasthan CM’s Budget Gaffe, Cong First Plays Down Then Points To Discrepancies In PM's Reply In Parliament
In a major gaffe, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot was caught reading last year’s budget in the state assembly for nearly 10 minutes. It was only when the party chief whip stepped in that Gehlot stopped and apologised for the oversight. The BJP was quick to slam him for being callous and “poorly invested in matters of governance”. For a change, BJP leader and former CM Vasundhara Raje Scindia, who has been bailing out Gehlot in the past four years, refused to hold a brief for him. She said, “When I used to present the Budget, I used to check my papers at least thrice before presenting it. Here the CM went on reading for eight minutes.” Gehlot’s gaffe is more or less a throwback to what happened with veteran leader S M Krishna who as Foreign Minister had read out portions of Portuguese Foreign Minister’s speech at the UN Security Council way back in February 2011. Coming to Gehlot’s defence, senior AICC functionary Rajiv Shukla tried to shift the blame to officials. He also tried to  point out there were discrepancies in the two sets of figures given by the PM regarding households connected by tap water –“in  the Lok Sabha PM Modi had talked about 8 crore households, in the Rajya Sabha the figures were given as 11 crore households. We are not making an issue.”
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Is The Centre Trying To Thwart Rahul Gandhi's Yatra With Covid Protocols?
As the Bharat Jodo Yatra nears Delhi, it has begun to get a bit of a mixed reception. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandviya rushed a letter to Rahul Gandhi urging him to follow Covid protocols during the yatra. In a letter addressed to Rahul Gandhi and Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, Mandviya suggested that he either adhere to Covid protocols or suspend the yatra. By Covid protocol, the minister meant allowing only the vaccinated and masked to participate in the BJY.  Mandviya was apparently acting on complaints of three Rajasthan MPs who said their state had seen a spike in Corona cases in the aftermath of the yatra. There may be no exaggeration here; after all Himachal CM Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu tested Covid positive post his Dausa visit and failed to keep his date with PM Modi. While Jairam Ramesh dismissed complaints of MPs as a fallout of “enormous success of BJY in their state,” he admitted public health is far too serious an issue on which to play party politics. “If there is a protocol for gatherings Bharat Jodo Yatra will abide by it undoubtedly,” he said. Chattisgarh CM Bhupesh Bhagel, however, felt the Centre was “looking for new ways to stop the yatra.” When there was Corona, you held polls in WB, Assam and UP. Now you’re making excuses to stop the yatra?” he asked.
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Cong Policy Reversal: Gandhis May Let Kharge Remain As LoP In Rajya Sabha For The Winter Session
Looks like Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge will most likely continue as Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Rajya Sabha at least for the forthcoming Winter Session of Parliament as the party hasn’t yet decided on his replacement. If Kharge holds two posts, it will be a complete reversal of the “One Person, One Post” policy that was formulated in the Udaipur Declaration. In fact Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, who was hoping to keep his CM post, lost out on being Congress chief because of Rahul Gandhi’s insistence that he must adhere to one man-one post resolution. Sonia Gandhi has called a meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) “strategy group” on December 3, ahead of the Parliament Session that begins on December 7. Rajya Sabha MPs Jairam Ramesh, KC Venugopal and Kharge have been asked to attend. In keeping with the Udaipur Declaration, Kharge had resigned as LoP in Rajya Sabha before filing his nomination papers for Congress chief. But then he handed in his resignation to Sonia Gandhi as CPP chairperson. Which is why there is a lot of speculation that Sonia may ask Kharge to continue in the post. On his part even after getting elected as Congress president, Kharge has taken care not to disturb the Gandhis. Like he did not make his photos visible at AICC headquarters. His focus is to win back Karnataka when elections are held early next year.
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Gehlot's Diatribe Against Pilot On Eve Of Rahul's Yatra Entering Rajasthan Raises Eyebrows
The infighting in Rajasthan Congress got a fresh lease of life with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot renewing his attack on his challenger Sachin Pilot. He not only called Pilot a ‘Gaddar’ but also accused him of taking money from the BJP to rebel in 2020. For some reason, Gehlot’s latest outburst was more a dare to the Gandhis to oust him from office. He threw the gauntlet at the Gandhi family barely 10 days before Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra is to enter the state on December 3. So why is Gehlot precipitating a crisis? Has Gehlot heard anything from Kharge about imminent change? After all he had defied the Gandhis in the most unimaginable way possible and survived so far. He had refused to move to Delhi and become the AICC President.  So why is he now trying to jeopardise Bharat Jodo Yatra?  Gehlot claimed Pilot and MLAs supporting him were paid Rs 10 crore by Home Minister Amit Shah to rebel in 2020; he even claimed he had evidence of it.  On his part, Pilot tried to be deferential and on the use of the word Gaddar, he said: “Such language doesn’t suit him… In the past too he called me useless.” Pilot’s MLAs are pinning hope on Jairam Ramesh’s statement that the differences between the two leaders will be resolved in a manner that strengthens the Congress. Will that happen?
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Rajasthan CM Gehlot Showers PM Modi With Praise, Raises Eyebrows In Congress
In an unusual  move, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he shared a stage with him at ‘Mangarh Dham ki Gaurav Gatha’ at Mangadh Hill in Rajasthan’s Banswara on  November 1. He talked about how Modi “receives great honour when he goes abroad. Because he is the PM of the nation of Gandhi, where democracy is deep-rooted. When the world realises this, they feel proud that the PM of that country is coming to them.” At a time, when the Congress is usually targeting the PM, it is interesting that Gehlot chose to lavish praise on him. These words of praise for Modi seem to be coming days before new party chief Mallikarjun Kharge is set to initiate disciplinary action against Rajasthan leaders for defying high command authority. As a shrewd political player Gehlot may have chosen a public forum to send a message to the AICC that he could be exploring other options. On his part, PM Modi reciprocated Gehlot’s gesture by recalling working together as CM and how “he is senior most in our lot of CMs”. Interestingly, Gehlot loyalists had recently opposed Sachin Pilot’s elevation as CM on the ground that he had hobnobbed with the BJP during the 2020 crisis. But then is it okay for Gehlot to warm up to Modi? Or BJP is merely a punching bag for the Congress?
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Gehlot Cuts It Too Fine, Says Sorry To Sonia And Checkmates Pilot
Emerging from a meeting with Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced that he will not contest the Congress presidential polls. His meeting with Sonia at 10 Janpath in New Delhi came just  after a series of missteps he took defying diktats for change in party leadership last weekend; it was also the penultimate day ahead of filing of papers for top Congress post. Gehlot said he had apologised to Sonia for the developments in Jaipur on September 25 when MLAs supporting him defied the high command and skipped the Congress Legislature Party meeting at his residence and submitted their resignations to the Assembly Speaker. While it is not clear if Gehlot’s public regret to Sonia was enough to salvage the damage caused to Congress leadership’s authority in Jaipur, questions still persist over what will happen to Sachin Pilot. Will Pilot remain in the party after this, eating humble pie? When asked if he will continue as chief minister, Gehlot said Sonia Gandhi would decide. He was clearly hinting that the Congress had little choice here in terms of the number of MLAs backing Pilot. Gehlot asserted that he had always been a disciplined soldier of the Congress for 50 years. In Rajasthan, the Congress high command cannot afford to please both Gehlot and Pilot. Either Gehlot hangs in till 2023 assembly polls or the younger Pilot explores other options.
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With Gehlot Plotting Revolt, Will Gandhis Take Action Against Him?
The issue of picking the next Rajasthan Chief Minister has turned into a full-blown crisis for Congress high command. With 85 MLAs of the Ashok Gehlot camp in a protest mode, meeting the Speaker and claiming they want to resign if Gehlot doesn’t continue as CM, it has now become imperative for the Congress leadership to establish its authority in Jaipur. The Gehlot loyalists became so defiant that they even dared to skip a CLP meeting to interact with AICC observers Mallikarjun Kharge and Rajasthan in-charge Ajay Maken. The AICC observers first wanted to meet with MLAs collectively, then later sought one-on-one meetings to assess their views. It just seemed Gehlot was working on a different sub-plot. His loyalists instead preferred to attend a meeting at the residence of Cabinet Minister Shantilal Dhariwal where they set out terms and conditions to the party command. In a video that has gone viral, Dhariwal could be heard saying Rajasthan could go Punjab way for the Congress. With Gehlot’s closet rebellion his prospects of becoming AICC President are now dim. Maken has already dubbed the proceedings at Dhariwal residence as an act of “indiscipline”.  As for Sachin Pilot, architect of 2018 Congress victory, Srimadopur MLA Deependra Shekhawat says “Sachin’s appeal isn’t limited to the Gurjar community”. That’s why Gehlot ministers like Raghu Sharma and motor-mouth Pratap Kachariyavas are covertly supporting him.
Digvijay Singh
Congress Presidential Election: With Rahul Gandhi Backing Him, Digvijaya Singh Now Edges Past Ashok Gehlot
With former Madhya Pradesh CM Digvijaya Singh ruling himself in as a possible candidate in Congress Presidential election via a TV interview on September 21, the buzz in Congress circles is that Ashok Gehlot has been edged out as contender. That is because Rahul Gandhi himself validated the objection Digvijaya Singh had raised against Gehlot’s insistence on continuing both as Rajasthan CM as well getting elected as Congress President. In the TV interview, Singh made it clear that Gehlot could not possibly continue as Rajasthan CM if he got elected as Congress President referring to the Udaipur Resolution passed in May 2022 that talked about “one man, one post (OMOP)”. Interestingly, echoing Singh’s views Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reiterated on September 22 that he expects the commitment on ‘Udaipur Resolution’ of ‘one man-one post’ to be maintained for CP’s election. Party sources say it’s possible Singh may have used the OMOP clause to bail out Gehlot from the pressure of bowing out of CM’s office and handing power over to his rival Sachin Pilot. Many in the party feel elevation of Digvijaya Singh could have a larger appeal in North India. He is known to have good equations with partymen across the country and known to continuously interact with party workers. His only drawback: he may not remain a puppet of the Gandhis.
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Why Is Ashok Gehlot Entering The Cong Prez Election Fray?
Elections in the Congress could just be farcical since as many as 11 Pradesh Congress Committees in states including Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Himachal, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Bihar, Haryana and J&K have passed resolutions backing Rahul Gandhi as party president. While these resolutions are being prompted by the AICC managers, party media-in-charge Jairam Ramesh gave an altogether different spin; he dismissed it as “measures that have no binding effect”. He insisted that any person could contest for the post. It is in this context that the possible entry of Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot that comes as a bit odd and curious. Gehlot said “If people in the party think I am needed in the role of party president or CM, then I won’t say no….I will again request Rahul Gandhi (to become Cong president). If he conducts Bharat Jodo Yatra as party president, then it will create an aura for the party,” he says. Party sources say the Gandhi family could be hugely betting on Gehlot as its trustee to head the Congress. The Gandhis want a non-Gandhi to steer the Congress as a stop gap atleast for six months. It is felt Rahul could make a comeback as Congress chief just before 2024 polls. Only Gehlot could be flexible to make such adjustments provided he gets to continue as CM.
Collage Maker-05-Sep-2022-11
Siblings As Rivals: Priyanka Gives Rahul's Rally A Miss
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s address at the “Halla Bol rally” against price rise on September 4 turned out to be a damp squib. Partymen found the speech tad boring as it dwelled more on Rahul’s insecurities. Like his troubles with the ED over doubtful transactions in the National Herald case involving Rs 5,000 crore scam. Instead of focusing on issues of people, Rahul talked about how he had been grilled by the ED for 55 hours. The big takeaway from the rally was that for the first time differences between Rahul and his sister Priyanka came out in the open. It was unimaginable that Priyanka skipped the rally, though some of her cut-outs were spotted at the venue. Amidst speculations whether Priyanka had returned to Delhi or not, there was a buzz how the sulking sibling had decided to finally speak her mind. It is being said in the midst of ongoing party polls, Priyanka who is in-charge of UP is keen to take over as Congress President. Both Rahul and Sonia want Priyanka to keep away. They are backing Ashok Gehlot as Congress President. Priyanka is being backed by leaders from south states that will go to assembly polls. Some of her backers like Acharya Pramod Kishan have openly batted for Priyanka as the only Congress leader who is capable of taking on PM Modi in 2024.
Collage Maker-26-Aug-2022-05
Congress Presidential Elections: Whom Are The Bookies Betting On?
The Congress is in turmoil over electing its President. It won’t be Rahul Gandhi if he has his way. Since owning up to the 2019 defeat, he has been steadfast in not only staying away from heading it but also insisting on someone from outside the Rajiv Gandhi family to take the mantle. While those like Ghulam Nabi Azad who are dissatisfied with his way of wanting power without responsibility are quitting, the field is narrowing. Azad, only a long shot for the job – bookies had him at 100-1 as he is one of the G-23 rebels – is out of the race now. Among the non-Gandhi family members likely to head the party, if Sonia Gandhi and both her children do give the green signal for it are: P Chidambaram, who the bookies place at 3-1, on par with Jairam Ramesh who has gained traction since being a sober and disciplined soldier of the party and family as the chief spokesperson. But the overwhelming favourite among bookmakers is Ashok Gehlot at evens since rumours are that he has already been offered the job by Sonia. At 10-1 beyond the favourites is the debonair Shashi Tharoor who might even be a bright face for the party provided Sonia is okay with him being in the contest.
Collage Maker-28-Jun-2022-06
Will Congress Replace Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot With Sachin Pilot To Quell Dissension?
Looks like the Congress high command may have to opt for leadership change in Rajasthan if it has to halt erosion in the party’s cadre ahead of 2023 assembly elections. Acharya Pramod Krishnam, a close aide of Priyanka Vadra, has openly called for elevating Pilot as CM and a central role for Gehlot. Party sources admit that a groundswell of sympathy is emerging in the state for Pilot, who as PCC chief led the Congress to victory in 2018, but was denied CM’s post. Sources said if Gehlot leads the party to assembly polls, then it’s likely that BJP may sweep the poll. It was felt if Pilot was made the CM, the Congress could somewhat reverse the damage. After all, even state BJP leaders call Pilot “Neelkanth” (swallower of poison). Significantly, Rahul Gandhi recently praised Pilot’s patience at Jantar Mantar. Rahul’s praise seems to have rattled Gehlot which is perhaps why he has begun attacking his former deputy chief minister for taking BJP’s help during his 2020 rebellion. On his part, Pilot continues to play cool about Gehlot’s taunt and takes it in his stride. “Earlier, also the CM had spoken about me saying nakara (useless), nikamma (jobless) and much more. Ashok Gehlot is an experienced, elderly and fatherly figure, if he speaks something I don’t take it otherwise,” he said.
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After Punjab Experiment, Spotlight Shifting On Rajasthan’s Gehlot-Pilot Contest
Emboldened by the Punjab experiment of installing Charanjit Singh Channi, a Dalit leader, as the Chief Minister, much to annoyance of Captain Amarinder Singh, the brother-sister duo Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra have now turned their attention on Rajasthan. For over a year now, there has been a strong undercurrent and mistrust between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot who very nearly joined BJP. But the Gandhis placated Pilot and saved the day. It is now learnt Sachin is spoiling for fights and Rahul-Priyanka are all ears for him. Gehlot, say insiders, went into self-imposed isolation (read refused to meet the high command) after his bete noire Pilot met with the Gandhis in Delhi. So, will Pilot succeed a second time? Not really, feel senior Congress leaders. They say Gehlot is an old time Congress loyalist who has strong base; removing him from the CM’s position will cause political upheaval and perhaps Congress losing the State when elections are held. Interestingly, BJP’s former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje seems to have good rapport with Gehlot and she says insiders stopped Pilot’s entry into BJP. Political analysts feel that in the end both Gehlot and Pilot will lose out and some new face will be foisted on CM’s chair. For now, it seems the pot boiler in Rajasthan will continue.

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Editor’s Note: Short Post Noticed By People Who Matter

Four years have zipped by and we are crossing another milestone on 31st January 2025 – it’s our 4th Anniversary. It feels good.
Looking back at the 1460 days, I must say Short Post has made its mark with people who matter via 4000 stories published in the areas of politics, business, entertainment and sports. All made possible by the unflinching commitment and dedication of our senior editors, most of whom have been part of this journey from Day One.
Small pack, big impact is in essence the story of Short Post which was launched at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. It shows our conviction. In all humility, I can say, we have created a new niche in the news segment space like Hindustan Unilever which created a new segment, when it launched CloseUp Gel.
Yes, we have created a brand (in a limited sense), created demand (readers) and created supply (senior journalists). But we are facing teething problems like all start-ups. What makes us happy and confident is the recognition of our efforts. For instance, we have an arrangement with the OPEN Magazine, part of the $4.5 billion Kolkata-based Sanjiv Goenka-RPG Group. This arrangement sees around 10 Short Post stories posted on OPEN Magazine website every week. This arrangement is testimony that our content has been well received! Also, I may add that the Maharashtra government has recognised Short Post and has allowed our senior editor to cover the Assembly sessions. Ditto: Odisha.
Our goal is to ensure that Short Post becomes a habit. I would like people to keep checking their smartphones to know the latest Authentic Gossip. As regards AI and the fear of it disrupting all businesses including media. On that, personally, I have no such fear as I am confident AI cannot smell news particularly Authentic Gossip. That’s the place we are well entrenched.