Pre-Truth — snappy, witty and significant snippets from the world of politics and government.
Top industrialists praise BJP govt’s schemes
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a meeting with top honchos of India Inc. at Raj Bhawan in Mumbai last week. “Dariye nahin, jo bolna hai, boliye (Don’t be scared. Say whatever you want to say),” he told them. Those present at the two-hour-long meeting said none of the top industrialists had any word of criticism for the NDA government’s policies, even though many of them are known to vent their true feelings in private conversations. The who’s who of India Inc. either made positive suggestions to the Prime Minister or praised the government’s schemes and programmes. Many of them present had publicly denounced Manmohan Singh government’s policies during the UPA II regime. These are, of course, different times.
AAP treads cautiously on SC verdict on Delhi-Centre power tussle
As the Constitution bench of the Supreme Court delivered its verdict, ruling that lieutenant governor of Delhi could not interfere in every decision of the elected government, there were celebrations at the 206, Rouse Avenue headquarters of the Aam Admi Party (AAP). Party activists immediately gathered there and many of them were seen dancing to the beating of drums. The public display of victory apart, AAP leaders at the party headquarters were waiting anxiously for a copy of the verdict. The apex court also ruled that the National Capital Territory of Delhi cannot be accorded the status of a state under the present constitutional scheme. Ruling party leaders in Delhi, therefore, wanted to read the fine print before coming to a final conclusion.
Congress’ Divya Spandana accused of acting independently
Actor-turned-politician Divya Spandana is stepping on many toes in the Congress. Chairperson of the party’s social media department, she acts independently and doesn’t consult her senior colleagues about her plans and strategies. When Mayur Shekhar Jha’s name was announced as the social media coordinator of Jharkhand recently, no one had a clue. Jharkhand Congress president Ajoy Kumar, AICC in-charge of the state, RPN Singh, and other leaders came to know about it only after the official release. Congress leaders complain that it’s not the first instance. They hardly have any idea about social media managers who have been hired to tweet for the party.
BJP’s 75 years age limit didn’t apply to new Rajasthan chief
It was after more than 70 days that the BJP finally managed to tide over internal rifts and announce the name of Rajya Sabha member Madan Lal Saini as the Rajasthan party president late last week, a decision that was delayed because of the tussle between CM Vasundhara Raje and party president Amit Shah. However, in trying to come up with a consensus candidate, the party seems to have glossed over one of its most important, albeit unwritten, rules. PM Modi had denied ministerial berths to many veterans, with the BJP leadership saying politicians above the age of 75 cannot not hold any position. While stepping down as Gujarat CM in 2016, Anandiben Patel, then 75, had cited the BJP’s age policy as the reason. Najma Heptulla and Kalraj Mishra survived in the union cabinet only for a short period after they crossed 75. As it turns out, Madan Lal Saini is 75.
Opposition finds a ‘funny’ way to criticise Fadnavis govt
This monsoon session, opposition parties in Maharashtra plan to target the BJP-led government by not just words and acrimonious speeches inside the assembly, but also caustic humour outside. The opposition has come up with caricatures to taunt CM Devendra Fadnavis-led government. One cartoon shows a politician performing a ‘yoga chakrasana’ with the poor and farmers being crushed under him. Another takes a dig at the rising petrol prices with a gun-shaped fuel nozzle at a petrol pump digging into the back of a common man, threatening to kill him while he meekly stands with his hands up. A third mocks at the conflicts between alliance partners Shiv Sena and the BJP showing a caricature of Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray promising that the proposed Nanar oil refinery in Ratnagiri will be scrapped, while a cabinet minister stands next to him and says, “Wait, the CM has just sent a message that the Nanar project will happen.”
Union ministers trace their farming roots
The union cabinet increased MSP for various crops this week. And the cabinet fielded four ministers to send the message across, with three of them being introduced as farmers. While addressing the media, home minister Rajnath Singh said he himself was a farmer, so were agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh and food processing minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal. The home minister then asked law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad if he was also a farmer. As the room full of journalists burst into laughter, Singh added jokingly that Prasad may not be a farmer but he knew a lot about farming.
When a meeting in Delhi pub fuelled 2019 speculation
What happens when the politically-inclined husband of a senior BJP minister in the Narendra Modi cabinet is seen having a hush-hush session with a senior leader of the DMK? Tongues start to roll, especially since the venue of the meeting is a bar in Delhi and there is already talk of many Modi ministers positioning themselves for a sub-200 tally for the party in the 2019 elections, in which case, they feel, Modi may not be acceptable to the allies. Watch this space.
Contributors: D.K. Singh, Rajgopal Singh, Kumar Anshuman, Ruhi Tewari, Manasi Phadke, Pragya Kaushika and Maneesh Chhibber