By Nora Chopra
DIGVIJAY SINGH BARRED FROM CAMPAIGNING FOR CONGRESS IN UTTAR PRADESH The Congress super secular general secretary Digvijay Singh may not campaign in Uttar Pradesh. This was one of the conditions put by Sanjay Singh before accepting the post of chairman of UP campaign committee. The UP campaign will be led by the Rajput leaders of the state, Arun Kumar Singh Munna and Santosh Singh. Both Munna, an ex UPCC chief and Santosh Singh are likely to be part of the campaign committee. The thinking in the party is that Digvijay Singh should be kept out of Uttar Pradesh or else he would spoil the party’s strategy put forward by the party with great effort. There is apprehension in the party that an extremely pro Muslim Digvijay Singh will only communalise the UP situation. . If he is allowed to campaign in the state, the UP leaders feel that the BJP and the RSS are sure to raise the issue of his stand on Zakir Naik which will provide life to the BJP which is groping for its strategy in Uttar Pradesh after the Congress unveiled its strategy. The Congress strategy to woo the upper caste Brahmins and Rajputs will be watched by the Muslims who will opt for only that party which will be able to defeat BJP in the coming assembly elections.
IMRAN MASOOD MAY GET SENIOR POSITION IN UTTAR PRADESH CONGRESS While the Congress is busy these days wooing the 10 to 12 per cent Brahmins, it has just ignored the 18 to 20 per cent Muslim community for elections in Uttar Pradesh. The thinking in the party is that unless the Congress has the upper caste votes, the Muslims will not vote for the Congress. Except Imran Masood, there is no Muslim face in any of the Congress committees set up for Uttar Pradesh. Ghulam Nabi Azad, the general secretary in charge of the state is considered to be the only Muslim face. But realization has dawned upon the leadership that having Azad is just not enough. The party needs somebody who belongs to UP. Fazle Masood who was one of the top contenders for the UPCC chief’ post is likely to be adjusted as the chairman of minority department of UP Congress.
DISGRUNTLED CONGRESS LEADERS TO BE ACCOMODATED IN UP CONGRESS Fazle Masood is not the only one feeling left out. Jitin Prasad, RPN Singh and Mani Shankar Pandey all three were in the race for UPCC Chief’s post. Jitin, a Brahmin was one of the most serious contenders. In fact he was the front runner till the last moment. But for the infighting amongst the Brahmin candidates Rajesh Mishra, the most low profile with a much bigger mass base was finally selected as the vice president of the UPCC. Pramod Tiwari and Tiwari’s bete noire Rita Bahuguna were adjusted the next day merely because of their nuisance value. Pramod Tiwari is a four time MLA and is now a Rajya Sabha MP elected with Mulayam Singh Yadav’s support. Rita carries her father HN Bahuguna’s name. but despite being the son of the political adviser of PV Narasimha Rao, Jitendra Prasad who even dared to challenge the Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Jitin lost out because he was considered too young and non serious candidate. He however is likely to be accommodated in the AICC team of Rahul Gandhi. As for Mani Shankar Pandey, another contender is likely to be made the UP Seva Dal chief. He is from Varanasi, The last but not the least important contender was RPN Singh. But he must have known that he is a kurmi and the Congress was looking for a dynamic Brahmin leader like Sheila Dikshit and charismatic leader like Raj Babbar. He might be given the charge of the UP communications department.
DEMAND FOR SEPARATE VIDHARBA STATE GROWING IN CONGRESS Having a separate Vidharba is likely to be a major issue in the Lok Sabha elections of 2019. The BJP has already declared the map of a separate Vidharba. The Vidharba leadership of the Congress too under pressure from its rival BJP, has passed a resolution demanding a separate Vidharba congress committee on the lines of Mumbai congress committee. On Wednesday last week when the Congress President Sonia Gandhi, accompanied by the erstwhile PM Manmohan Singh was in Nanded to unveil the statue of SB Chavan, the father of the MPCC chief Ashok Chavan, she had directed Ashok Chavan to have a meeting on the issue of Vidharba. Cavan held a meeting of all the Vidharba leaders in Nagpur where everyone except the AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik and ex MPCC chief Manik Rao Thakre, all other leaders of Vidharba passed a one line resolution demanding the formation of a separate Vidharba Congress Committee. This week these Vidharba leaders wil be coming to Delhi to meet the Congress president Sonia Gandhi under the leadership of Vilas Muttemvyar and put their demand to her.
BJP LEADERSHIP INDULGENT TO CORRUPTION OF ITS MINISTERS The BJP which came to power on an anti corruption plank, is keeping a blind eye towards its own ministers and legislators. Sudhir Mungantiwar, the finance minister in the Fadnavis government in Maharashtra, has gifted a 17 acre farm house worth Rs. 50 crore plus in Chanderpur district to his wife. The farm house was built by violating all rules and regulation. He has not even mentioned it in the affidavit submitted to the election commission declaring his wealth. His explanation about not mentioning it in the affidavit to the EC is that it belongs to his father. But his opponents claim that his father’s yearly tax return is only one lakh. Complaint has been lodged with the election commission who till date has not taken note of it.
MOHSINA KIDWAI RECOMMENDED SHEILA DIKSHIT TO SONIA GANDHI Both Sheila Dikshit and Sanjay Singh should give credit to the Uttar Pradesh leader Mohsinha Kidwai for what they got. Sonia Gandhi had summoned Kidwai after Raj Babbar was made the UPCC chief for further advice. She is supposed to have pleaded the case of Sheila Dikshit and Sanjay Singh. Mohsina is supposed to have told Sonia that unless you have a Brahmin, you cannot defeat the BJP. It was Mohsina who suggested Dikshit’s name. . She is supposed to have told Sonia that Dikshit has ruled Delhi for fifteen years and she is the daughter in law of a veteran Congress leader Uma Shankar Dikshit. Besides she is a name in herself and she alone can bring the Brahmins in the Congress fold. (IPA)