Congress party, including its leaders, are under tremendous pressure these days. The reason is Rahul Gandhi’s recent press conference where he declared that the Congress will form a government in Madhya Pradesh by the end of this year. A lot can happen before the scheduled assembly election in November-December 2023. Party units elsewhere are wondering what would happen if a similar declaration is made regarding their states. Some senior leaders are saying Gandhi’s statement was intended to boost morale. But Congress’ presence in some states is next to nothing. Whose morale is being boosted there and how?
Amit Shah’s Vokkaliga outreach
When and where Home Minister Amit Shah’s politics begins is a mystery even for BJP members. That’s what happened in Karnataka where Shah had gone to Mandya district to inaugurate a mega dairy. He was accompanied by Nirmalanandanatha Swami, the 72nd head of Adichunchanagiri Mahasamsthana Math. The politics here is that the Adichunchanagiri Math belongs to the influential Vokkaliga community, and the Gowda family has its roots in Mandya district. Janata Dal (Secular) has been getting the bulk of votes from this region but now Shah is seeking to divert them to BJP. Senior BJP leaders are saying only Amit Shah can understand and deploy the politics of a religious leader’s presence at a government event.
Who is kinder
BJP’s Uttar Pradesh cadre is looking to answer a question — Who is the bigger empath between the chief minister and the deputy chief minister? CM Yogi Adityanath recently met with homeless people and distributed warm clothes. Seeing this, deputy CM Brajesh Pathak also went out and gave his jacket to a person who was shivering.
New Year woes
In January 2023, chief ministers of all BJP-ruled states are expected to reach New Delhi for a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. What will happen then? The talk of the town is that after a similar meeting earlier, many chief ministers were let go. So many are apprehensive that it may happen again in the new year.
Makar Sankranti duty
Union Minister Giriraj Singh has been entrusted with a new responsibility by the BJP. He is responsible for organising a Chuda-Dahi Bhoj (a festive meal with puffed rice and curd) on the occasion of Makar Sankranti that falls on 14 January. Earlier, this responsibility was carried out by BJP’s vice president Radha Mohan Singh. Since ‘millet feast’ is creating so much buzz, puffed rice might not be the only thing served at the party. By the way, only Giriraj Singh can make the combination of Chuda-Dahi and millet work.
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Bhaisahebs’ season
Many senior BJP leaders are struggling with a bout of bad luck these days. These leaders who hardly paid heed to Bhaisahebs (low level party workers/ RSS functionaries) have now started calling them ‘Bhaisahebji’ in the election season. It seems like serving Bhaisahebjis leads to the path of democracy.
Bharat Agrawal is Executive Director, Dainik Bhaskar Group, and a columnist.
By special arrangement with Dainik Bhaskar. Translated by Ram Lal Khanna and edited by Ratan Priya from the original in Hindi.