By Nora Chopra
Rio, Sangma eye Janata Pariwar
The three times ex-chief minister of Nagaland Neiphiu Rio, who joined the BJP before the elections on the promise that he would made a minister, is not very happy. He waited till the first expansion of the Union Cabinet, but when he failed to find a place even in that reshuffle he now wants to quit the BJP. Recently, he, along with PA Sangma, met the JD(U) president Sharad Yadav and expressed his desire to join this new socialist formation. Yadav is supposed to have told them to wait for some time and then they can join once things settle down. Meanwhile, many other leaders across the country have been meeting Sharad Yadav. Yadav is in touch with certain leaders from Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Odisha also. Even if two new leaders join the Janata Parivar, then that would send a good message, says Sharad Yadav.
Congress leaders fish beyond Gandhi Waters
A section of the dejected Congress leadership has started to explore options outside the Gandhi family. The feeling gaining ground is that under the present dispensation (pointing at perhaps Rahul Gandhi) it is impossible for the Congress to recover its losses. The feeling within these sections, which seem to be giving up hope on the Gandhis, is that this is the time to unify the Congress family and move forward on the lines of the socialist parivar. They plan to bring back the Mamata-led TMC and Sharad Pawar-led NCP and in Tamil Nadu Wasan-led Tamil Manila Congress. After 1984, the Congress has never got a majority on its own under the Gandhis. Even in 1991, Narasimha Rao could only form a minority government that too after the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. In 1996, under Rao, the Congress numbers fell to 140 and in 1998, under Sitaram Kesri, the party strength in parliament was 141. In 1999, under Sonia Gandhi the numbers fell to 114 and in 2004 Sonia could raise it only upto 145 just four more than Kesri but she was wise enough to form an alliance with the left democratic forces to form the government. But in 2009 too, the party failed to get an absolute majority though the numbers swelled to 202. But that was courtesy Manmohan Singh, claim those opposing Rahul Gandhi. That was his chance but he missed it says a senior ex minister. This section, which is in favour of coming together of the large Congress family, comprises senior Congress leaders and ex ministers who can neither join the BJP, nor can they resurrect the party on their own shoulders. They think that given Sonia Gandhi’s health and Rahul’s incompetence, it is time for the party to look beyond the Gandhis.
Supreme Court still going soft on big fat Indian media house
The forty-year delay in the L N Mishra case has brought to light several other pending cases in Indian courts. A high profile case is the tussle over the patent infringement of The Financial Times by India’s largest media house. The case has been dragging on for 20 years, in the Supreme Court itself is going on for four years. SC was expected to deliver the final judgement in November 2014, but the same has yet to see the light of the day. The delay is caused by clever lawyering by the legal brain of the Indian media company. Narendra Modi government is keen to improve India’s rank in ease of doing business index to at least 50 from the current 142. But such inordinate delay in the high profile cases will not help the cause. Given the importance of the media house, both the court and the government seem to be keeping low profile on the issue.
Ex Youth Congress Presidents chastise Rahul
The Youth Congress organised a get-together of all its ex presidents two weeks ago, a programme that was attended by Rahul Gandhi. Here too, the Congress vice-president sought suggestions on how to revive the dwindling party. Rahul faced a barrage of criticism at the meet. Ramesh Chennithala, the minister from Kerala who was the ex youth Congress president of Kerala, was highly critical of Rahul Gandhi’s style of functioning. He asked Rahul whether he was running a political outfit or an NGO. One SP Goswami, the ex youth Congress president of Uttar Pradesh, was extremely upset over the manner the Congress leadership was treating its workers. He told Rahul why should anyone work for the party when its leaders do not have any ties with its workers.
Southern promises fizzle out for BJP
BJP’s dream of expanding its base to a pan-India level is unlikely to come true. The grand alliances stitched in Tamil Nadu before the Lok Sabha elections have already started to fall like ninepins. Vaiko has already severed its ties with BJP on the issue of Sri Lanka. He has alleged that Prime Minister Modi is promoting the Sri Lankan president Rajapaksha. PMK too is on its way out. The PMK chief Dr Ramadoss, too, is unhappy with the BJP and even Vijaykanth who had joined hands with the BJP after severing its ties with the Congress, has warned the BJP to keep its promise and make him the CM if the alliance comes to power in the state. And that he wants an assurance from the BJP leadership if the BJP wants him to support.
Days of Jholawalas over: Rahul to Congress
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi is very keen to revive the Indian National Congress. To find a solution to this problem, Rahul has started taking classes of top Congress leaders. He has been meeting these leaders in batches. In one such batch, which had important leaders like Ahmad Patel, Manish Tiwari, Mohan Prakash. Rahul asked the definition of the Congress. He even sought suggestions on how to revive the moribund Congress he asked them to tell him if the BJP stood for Hindutva, then what did the Congress stand for. While each one had a different answer, some like Ahmad Patel are supposed to have said that the word secularism should be replaced by some other word. He is supposed to have said secularism is misused by the saffron forces and has come to be personified more as Muslim appeasement. Mohan Prakash, who himself is a socialist turned capitalist, said that the party should recruit full time jhola chaap volunteers who should sit at paanwala shops and get the public view. He gave his own example: when he started as a socialist, he said this was what he did. But at this Rahul is supposed to have rejected the idea and said the days of paanwala are over. Manish Tiwari was of the opinion that the party does not have to fight the BJP alone but it is the corporates that the party has to fight. (IPA)