By Nora Chopra
Prithviraj Chavan is all set to go: if not just now, then definitely before Deepawali. This is the compromise formula that is being worked out between the Congress and the NCP. Ajit Pawar, who resigned after being blamed for irregularities in the irrigation sector, has refused to yield for anything less than the head of Prithviraj Chavan. Pawar, unlike Chavan, is a strong mass leader of the NCP in Maharashtra. He has the majority of NCP MLAs with him. By resigning, he has given out a message to both his uncle Sharad Pawar as well as the Congress not to take him lightly. Taking advantage of the situation arising out of the current crises, the state leaders in the Congress, too, are mounting pressure on the high command to replace Prithviraj as soon as possible. According to a Maharashtra leader of the Congress, this “Mr. Clean” cannot get the party elected. Besides Narayan Rane, the new name making rounds as a possible replacement is of Shivraj Patil. Patil, now governor of Punjab, is lobbying hard to return to active politics. The party is also considering the option in the wake of Vilas Rao Deshmukh’s death. Vilas Rao, the only mass leader of the Congress in Maharashtra, belonged to Latur, that, significantly enough, is also the home turf of Shivraj Patil.
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Heads to roll in upcoming AICC reshuffle
Cabinet reshuffle may have been deferred but the AICC reshuffle is still on cards. This time Sonia Gandhi is likely to get her team ready for 2014. Despite Rahul’s emphasis on drafting young blood in the party, Sonia is expected to depend more on the old guard. The return of Buta Singh, RK Dhawan and ML Fotedar in some capacity is already making news. A new set of spokespersons is also likely to be introduced as Manish Tiwari is set to make it to the government. The name of Renuka Choudhury is also making rounds. She, too, is lobbying hard to become a minister. Among those to be shown the door are Madhusudan Mistry, Gulchain Singh Charak and Dhani Ram Shandil. Even Choudhury Virender Singh is under threat. The only possibility that can save him is that he is in-charge of Himachal Pradesh, where elections are due next month. BK Hari Prasad may also have to call it quits. Either Janardhan Diwedi or Oscar Fernandes is once again likely to join the government creating vacancies in the main building that exudes power. Mukul Wasnik, too, is unlikely to retain his post of general secretary. The wings of Mohan Prakash are also likely to be clipped.
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Rahul losing his support base in Congress
Rahul Gandhi is gradually losing his magic even within his own party. At the crucial meeting of the Congress Working Committee convened on Tuesday to endorse the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s reform initiatives on FDI in retail, for the first time nobody except Ajot Jogi raised the issue of Rahul Gandhi. He wanted that before it is too late, Rahul should be declared the leader. But Jogi’s was the lone voice. However, there were no seconders to back his demand. The thinking in the party is that this is not the right time to put him in the lead when the party is going though turbulent times. Allies are quitting the party, which, in any case, is under the scanner for various scams, from 2G to Coalgate. The party should wait for some more time when things are better. As for FDI, though the CWC endorsed the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s reform initiatives, but the meeting did not go through without notes of dissent. A large number of members including Janardhan Diwedi, Mohsina Kidwai and some others, questioned the very need for taking such ‘anti aam aadmi’ decisions. They also wanted to know why was this time chosen for these decisions, particularly when elections are due in many states.
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Now Trinamool is without an office in Delhi!
Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress is the only party with 19 MPs in Lok Sabha and seven MPs in Rajya Sabha, which does not have an address in Delhi or an office in Parliament. Since 2004, when Mamata became the Railway Minister, her MPs used the Railway Minister’s room as the Trinamool Congress office. Even after she went back to Kolkata as took up the post of the Chief Minister of West Bengal, railway continued to be with Trinamool Congress and the Railway Minister’s room was used by their MPs. But now, after Mamata withdrawing support, the Trinamool Congress has no office in Delhi. No place to even sit down and discuss matters!
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Mamata quelled TMC’s dissent before quitting UPA-II
Mamata Banerjee was taken aback when she faced opposition on the issue of withdrawing support from the UPA-II at the meeting of her party’s parliamentary board on Monday last week in Kolkata from none other than her loyal MPs. Among those who opposed her were Shishir Adhikari, Debababrata Bandopadyaya, Saugata Roy and even Kunal Ghosh, who later changed colours and became most vocal on attacking the Prime Minister and the UPA. These men tried hard to show her the reason. Their argunent was that by withdrawing support from UPA-II, the party will be isolated as they can neither join the NDA, nor join hands with the Left. And, with three years still to go in West Bengal, where will the money come from. All projects will be dumped. Mamata had no time to listen to these arguments. She, however, got support from unexpected people like the isolated Sudip Bandopdhyaya, who told her that by resigning they don’t have much to lose, as they have no work as ministers. Mamata, who had come pre-decided, went by the majority which thought better to go by what Hitler Didi wanted. Eventually, even Kunal Ghosh started singing a different tune. He went to the extent of demanding the resignation from the Prime Minister leaving no scope for a patch up. (IPA)