It appears that no opposition candidate can rival Narendra Modi for the PM’s chair in 2024. However, there was an attempt to put Nitish Kumar against him. And it wasn’t the INDIA alliance but former PM HD Deve Gowda was pushing for it. Kumar was proposed to be the face of an alliance, which would have been formed after the election. They had a name for it—Janta Federal Front. The plan was set but it is said that the Congress stonewalled it.
BJP for rescue
There’s an ongoing rivalry between Chirag Paswan and his uncle Pashupati Paras for Bihar’s Hajipur seat. Both NDA members are refusing to yield. So, how will this matter be resolved peacefully? A BJP leader suggests that if the uncle-nephew duo don’t budge, putting the seat in BJP’s pocket could be the solution.
Orders from high command
The BJP has nominated several MPs and Union ministers to contest the assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh. Similar orders can be issued for elections in other states. Both ministers and party MPs are dreading. However, MPs in states are assured that they are not under such a threat. They are hoping to run for Lok Sabha elections instead. But a senior party leader has declared that the BJP has already set its electoral strategy for the next five years, and most of those who receive tickets in 2024 will also contest in Vidhan Sabha elections.
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End of term
The Women’s Reservation Bill was passed hurriedly but what about the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) amendments? The bill is currently with the Lok Sabha committee, and there are concerns about its future as the House’s term is ending in less than six months. Once the House dissolves, the bill will also lapse.
Spokespersons for YouTubers
For the first time, the BJP has started inviting YouTubers from across the country to its headquarters in New Delhi. Last week, a meeting was held with 200 such bloggers. According to sources, the YouTubers aired their grievances. They said that they usually don’t get any attention from BJP members but now with the upcoming elections, the party is reaching out to them. The situation calmed down after some time. The BJP is reportedly considering forming a separate panel of spokespersons for YouTubers.
Vision India@47
Modi is soon going to launch Vision India@47, and preparations for it are underway. The NITI Aayog is working on the document. But it won’t focus on issue like electricity and water. Rather it will focus on India’s needs in 2047. By that time, India is expected to be a middle-income country and its aspirations will be entirely different from today. For example, there will be express roadways in districts and better roads reaching every small villages that would be Wi-Fi connected.
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Leader vs strategist
Congress is frustrated with strategists in election-bound states. In Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana, the party has become increasingly dependent on them. These strategists don’t really value the party’s top leaders and secretaries. A senior leader, overseeing election work in one state, said, “We’ve been making strategies all along, whether it’s for internal party matters or elections. We are on the battlefield and someone else is making the war plan, how is it fair?” One state president has successfully brought the strategists under his control. He doesn’t pay much attention to them. But others are struggling for strategists’ attention. Now, the Congress is figuring out where it all went wrong.
Bharat Agrawal is Executive Director, Dainik Bhaskar Group, and a columnist.
By special arrangement with Dainik Bhaskar.