A conversation between two BJP leaders may not have reached any conclusion but gives a peek into what’s wrong with the party’s strategy in Uttar Pradesh. The BJP’s overconfidence has come to bite it in the state. The party’s supporters are slacking off on social media whereas the opposition is doing double the hard work. Senior members are confused and low on morale. Some enthusiastic officials are attacking coalition partners. Nishad party president Sanjay Nishad has expressed his pain over it. On top of that, BJP leaders are adding fuel to criminal cases, which is affecting the regional balance. BJP’s old members believe that some overexcited representatives of the party are making their moves for immediate gains despite an official line drawn by the party. It’s making the situation worse.
All part of lord’s play
These days, many ministers and politicians are rehearsing for the Ramlila. Central minister Ashwini Choubey will play Maharishi Vishwamitra in the Ramlila organised by the Lav Kush Ramlila Committee in New Delhi. BJP MP Manoj Tiwari, being an experienced actor, will play the role of Angad. Choubey wants to portray Vishwamitra because it is believed that the sage lived in Buxar, which happens to be Choubey’s constituency. However, there’s some hesitation over casting the role of Rambha who broke Vishwamitra’s tapasya in Ramayana.
Wait in line
The way BJP has fielded several MPs in the state assembly elections has caused a stir within the party. Nobody knows how many more MPs will be demoted as members of the legislative assembly. Imagine what the supporters of these MPs must be thinking. According to a senior leader, no matter what the supporters think, one thing is clear to them – whether one is an MP, a minister, or a former minister, everyone is equal before the party.
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Meeting benefits
Recently, Nara Lokesh, son of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who is currently in jail, met Home Minister Amit Shah. BJP state president Daggubati Purandeswari and Telangana BJP chief G. Kishan Reddy also joined the meeting. Now, the ongoing discussion is whether Nara Lokesh came to meet with his family members (Purandeswari and Reddy), or whether the two BJP leaders’ presence was important in the meeting. Whether or not Naidu gained anything from this meet up, BJP has benefited significantly. Naidu’s arrest, carried out by the Jagan Mohan Reddy government, was widely perceived to be orchestrated by the central government. Due to this, people from the Kapu community in Telangana were unhappy with the BJP. Now, after an hour-long meeting, the BJP is relieved.
Without a war room
Congress members are currently looking for a war room. For the past 18 years, the party’s war room has been at 15, Gurudwara Rakabganj road in New Delhi. But the bungalow needs to be vacated this month on orders of the Rajya Sabha secretariat. The bungalow was allotted to Rajya Sabha member Pradip Bhattacharya whose term has ended. Now that the ‘war’ is closer, Congress needs a new war room soon.
Congress committees
In Uttar Pradesh, the new Congress president has been given a media committee of 32 members, but without a president to oversee it. The party though is facing the opposite — they have a state president but no committee. The Congress has held several meetings about the state working committee in New Delhi. Congress is excited about the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and as per the current situation, the party will contest 80 seats in UP. However, the state president holding continuous meetings without a proper committee is like standing near a well but having no tools to reach the water.
What about Henry?
A member of Parliament was very close friends with a Supreme Court lawyer. When the MP used to travel to Kolkata, she would drop her pet dog Henry at the lawyer’s house. After she returned, the dog would come back to her. One day, the duo had an argument over Henry and the matter went to the police. Henry was given back to the MP. But after a while, the lawyer filed a complaint with the CBI alleging a criminal conspiracy involving MP Mahua Moitra and a real estate businessman. Submitting several documents, the lawyer made accusations about ‘targeting a corporate group through parliamentary questions’. The case can go anywhere from here but the question is, what will happen to Henry?
Bharat Agrawal is the Executive Director, Dainik Bhaskar Group, and a columnist.