New Delhi: Prime Time debates Monday were replete with discussion over the recent political developments be it Rahul Gandhi’s “escapade” to Italy or Nitish Kumar’s “I didn’t want to be chief minister” remark.
On CNN News18, anchor Marya Shakil discussed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s reluctance to be CM, after his statement in which he said that he did not want the post and had taken due to immense pressure.
Janata Dal (United) spokesperson Abhishek Jha clarified that what Nitish Kumar has said is not something completely new. “But it is true that he had to take up the position of CM as PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had already declared that NDA will fight the election on the name of Nitish Kumar,” said Jha.
Shakil asked BJP spokesperson Guru Prakash why the BJP insisted on him being the chief minister when Kumar had already said that this was his last election.
“Our relationship (BJP-JDU) is almost two and a half-decade old and we have that level of maturity to accept differences in opinions as well. But for the larger interest of Bihar, Nitish ji is going to be the CM face for the next five years and beyond,” Prakash explained.
On NDTV 24/7, anchor Sanket Upadhyay on ‘Left, Right and Centre’ asked whether the year 2020 ended with ally trouble for the BJP after JD(U)’s discordant notes over the exodus of its MLAs in Arunachal Pradesh and the AIADMK’s refusal to share political space with the party in Tamil Nadu.
Former Rajya Sabha MP Pavan Varma said the BJP believes that Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a mascot is sufficient to make it achieve its goals without the wholehearted cooperation of its allies.
“There is a huge trust deficit and now we are seeing the unfolding of a new chapter where the BJP is planning to go solo and use the allies until they are useful,” Varma added.
India Today focused on the controversy unfolding around Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s trip to Italy.
“When you talk about timing and optics in politics you know how essential all of that is. Would you reckon that Rahul Gandhi today either is not interested or has got terrible political advisors?” anchor Preeti Choudhary asked Congress spokesperson Rohan Gupta.
He responded: “Whether it was the Covid lockdown or the economy or the Hathras or migrant issue… Rahul Gandhi was the most active politician during the worst period. So how can you say that he is not interested.”
Republic Bharat also remained ever so critical of the “Congress Prince”.
Anchor Arnab Goswami said, “Today’s Congress’s game with the farmers has been revealed. It became evident that for the Congress Prince Rahul Gandhi this is all a game.”
BJP spokesperson Prem Shukla fired during the debate: “Why did Rahul Gandhi run away from the peasant movement? When the farmers have gathered to protest along Delhi’s borders on his behest in this cold with the Punjab government’s help, then why did he leave?”
Lok Janshakti Party’s A.K. Bajpai said, “For power Rahul Gandhi does political tourism.”
Meanwhile, NDTV India focused on speculation that former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly will join the BJP in West Bengal ahead of next year’s elections.
Anchor Naghma Sahar pointed out that the rumours were triggered by his meeting with Governor Jagdeep Dhankar.
BJP’s Chandra Kumar Bose said his party has invited Ganguly to join them: “If Sourav wants to come into politics and work for the country he is most welcome. But the decision is his if he wants to come into politics.”
Political analyst Riju Dutta, however, struck a more cautious note. “If I recall correctly, Sourav has said a few days back that neither he nor his family wants to join politics. That is up to him whether he wants to. But it is undeniable that Sourav Ganguly is a very significant figure in West Bengal.”