In this scenario, the BJP will neither try to run a minority Government nor run it with Sharad Pawar’s support. The BJP will play politics to get majority on its own. It does not want to work under the pressure of either the NCP or Sena
Coordination problem between the BJP and Shiv Sena in Maharashtra is getting complicated day by day. Shiv Sena is demanding the Deputy Chief Minister post along with one-third of the total ministerial berth, but the BJP is not ready for this. Sources say at best, 12 ministerial berths can be given to the Sena and that too the unimportant ones.
That is why leaders of both parties are of the view that it is difficult to reach a common point of partnership. In this scenario, the BJP will neither try to run a minority Government nor run it with Sharad Pawar’s support. The BJP will play politics to get majority on its own. It doesn’t want to work under the pressure of either the NCP or Shiv Sena.
The party might try BS Yeddyurappa’s formula, which he had applied to get majority in Karnataka. The BJP leaders are in contact with MlAs of the Congress, Sena and NCP who have won with the margin of less than 5,000 votes. These MlAs may join the BJP and then resign. In the byelections, they will fight on BJP tickets. Though this is risky strategy, Yeddyurappa was successful in managing almost a dozen MlAs. If the issues with Sena are not resolved, this strategy will be implemented.
NO CHANGES IN CONGRESS
Even six months after the lok Sabha elections, the Congress is in a dilemma. The party hasn’t been able to decide either its organisational or Parliamentary strategy. In the winter session of Parliament, the Congress is keeping its eyes on other parties instead of setting the agenda of the Opposition. The parties of the Janata family have set their agenda and are in touch with left parties. The TMC is also doing separate politics. In this scenario, the Congress is trying to place itself despite the fact that it is the largest party in Rajya Sabha and it can make things difficult for the Government there.
However, the Congress hasn’t been able to decide on the changes in its organisation. After the lok Sabha Elections, Sonia Gandhi had met party leaders several times. In the past one month, Rahul Gandhi also met State leaders several times.
Rahul has to make immediate changes in the organisation of Bihar, UP, Maharashtra and Haryana, and has discussed the probable leaders in these States. He has sought two-three names from these States. Apart from this, he has also talked to senior officials of the party on the same issue. But still there has been no concrete decision.
Sources in the Congress say if a decision is not taken till December, then for the next six months status quo will be maintained. When the organisation election will be in process, no changes will be made. If this happens, Bihar — where elections are scheduled for next year —will suffer the most.
PRESSURE BUIlDS UP IN DElHI
In Delhi, there is pressure on the Congress and BJP to declare their CM candidates. In the last elections, all parties had declared their CM candidates in time. In December 2013, the BJP had fought under the leadership of Harsh Vardhan, and Sheila Dikshit was the leader of the Congress. They were directly challenging AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal. This time, only Kejriwal’s name is in the fight. leaders of the BJP and Congress feel it would be fatal to go into elections without declaring the rival face of Kejriwal. The BJP is more worried; its leaders think that elections in Delhi will be quite different from the elections in other States. The message of Delhi elections will go to the entire country.
In Delhi, it will be a great risk if the BJP turns the fight into Modi vs Kejriwal. Though some leaders feel Kejriwal will be defeated against Modi wave in Delhi, as he had been defeated in Varanasi. But if that doesn’t happen, it will be proof that the Modi wave is over now. So, the BJP leaders want a face for elections. Several names like that of Harsh Vardhan, Smriti Irani, Meenakshi lekhi and Kiran Bedi are doing the rounds. The Congress is also in a dilemma and is mulling the names of Sheila and Ajay Maken.
TIME OF POlITICAl CONSPIRACYIJ
Game plan and strategy are not new in politics, but it seems that presently there is conspiracy all around. Almost every leader is alleging that some conspiracy is going on against him/her. What’s interesting is that those who are in power are making most of these allegations. HRD Minister Smriti Irani feels people are conspiring against her. She says some absurd news is being planted in the media to bury the good work done by her. Her close aides say Smriti feels that there are some leaders from her party who want her to be removed from the HRD ministry. Similarly, two CMs feel there is conspiracy against them in the name of CBI investigations. Earlier, CM of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee had said that the Central Government was plotting against her through the CBI and NIA. She had challenged the Central Government to impose President rule in the State and dared it to arrest her.
In the same manner, Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik has alleged that something fishy is going on against him in the name of investigations into Ponzi schemes like Saradha. It is interesting to note that many leaders of his party are facing the investigation in the case and he was bound to feel the heat.
INDEPENDENTS’ FATE IN JHARKHAND
Almost all political pundits are of the view that in Jharkhand, the fight is between the BJP, Congress and JMM. In this scenario, Babulal Marandi is being ignored. Not only this, Independent leaders and local kshatrapas, who have been politically active for the past 10-15 years, are also being ignored. There are around 10 kshatrapas, which is a good sum in the 81-seat Assembly.
All eyes are on the twokshatrapas who had jumped in the lok Sabha poll fray, putting aside all challenges — Madhu Koda, whose wife fought from Singhbhum, and Enos Ekka, who fought from Khunti. Despite all the big parties, the BJP faced tough challenge from these two, who got more than two lakh votes. This time Madhu Koda is fighting from Majhgaon and Geeta Koda is in the fray from Jagannathpur. Ekka and his wife are candidates from Simdega and Kolebira.
Apart from these four, another kshatrapa Bandhu Tirki is a candidate from his present seat Mandar. Former minister Bhanu Pratap Shahi is fighting from Bhavnathpur seat, and Kamlesh Singh is a candidate from Hussainabad seat. Two more local heavyweights — Videsh Singh and Hari Narayan Rai — have joined JMM. But Chamra linda, who had won in the name of Adivasi student union last time, is again trying his luck independently. Sitting MlA of CPIMl is fighting from Bagodar, while sitting MlA of MCC Arup Chatterjee is a candidate from Nirsa. In the hung Assembly, all these MlAs play a special role.
DISGRUNTlED CONGRESS lEADERS
The leaders of Congress are trying to show that even after the defeat in lok Sabha Elections and two Assembly elections, everything is going well within the party. But reality is different and there is in fact a lot of infighting in the party. Many senior leaders are not happy and are expressing their concerns on different platforms.
Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram is annoyed as he has not got a Rajya Sabha seat. He targetted Manmohan Singh and said someone outside the Gandhi-Nehru family should take charge of the Congress. General Secretary of the party, Digvijaya Singh said Chidambaram must fight elections for the post of party president. Kamal Nath and Salman Khurshid are also said to unhappy. Kamal Nath was hopeful that being the senior most MP, he would get the post of leader of Congress in lok Sabha, but the party chose Mallikarjun Kharge.
In two southern States, the Congress is in power. But when the party organised an international seminar on Nehru, leaders from Kerala and Karnataka were absent. AK Antony didn’t turn up due to bad health, while Jairam Ramesh and Shashi Tharoor also didn’t show up. Many leaders were not happy as the party had given full responsibility for this seminar to Anand Sharma.
GOVERNORS IN THE NEWS
Senior leaders of the BJP, who have been sent to Raj Bhawans, are playing amazing politics. Working style of many Governors is reviving the memory of how Hansraj Bhardwaj used to work at the Raj Bhawan of Karnataka. Working style of Governors of two strategically important States for the BJP has sent the ruling party into a tizzy.
Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik is in the news for his working style. He served lunch to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat at Raj Bhawan and regularly meets the officials of the Sangh. He had issued the report card of UP Government and has now criticised the lavish birthday celebrations of Mulayam Singh Yadav. PM Narendra Modi had also wished him, but the Governor criticised Yadav and said less money should have been spent.
Governor of West Bengal, Keshri Nath Tripathi, has endorsed the arrest of TMC MP Srinjoy Bose. He said the CBI must have evidence against Bose to have arrested him. leaders of TMC are saying the Governor must desist from giving statements like the leader of the Opposition party.
