A quiet assessment is underway within the Congress to find individuals who are willing to go the whole hog in fighting the prime minister, Narendra Modi, separating them from those who are cautious and restrained. A section passionately backing Rahul Gandhi wants to rebuild the core team on the basis of this reassessment since Modi’s victory in 2019 changed the political dynamics completely. Many Congress leaders had presumed that Modi would not return in 2019, and a great many of them have since given up hope. They prefer to show restraint while dealing with him, attacking the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Bharatiya Janata Party instead of Modi. But the exit of Jyotiraditya Scindia from the Congress has sown seeds of doubt in the minds of many younger leaders, who were seen to be close to Rahul.

It is now certain that the next reshuffle will not see the reluctant warriors getting plum posts; instead the combative elements will get promoted. While the pandemic and the lockdown have delayed the reshuffle in the party, the last three months have also provided the leadership an opportunity to judge the office-bearers and spot new talent. Insiders say many leaders have been “found out” and will pay a steep price. While the party’s communications chief, Randeep Surjewala, consolidated his position with a sustained and effective attack on the government, the impact made by aggressive spokespersons like Gourav Vallabh, Pawan Khera and Supriya Shrinate in TV debates decisively tilted the internal discourse in favour of an unbridled counter-offensive against the BJP. This sentiment will reflect in the composition of the new team — many old hands with entrenched ideas may be forced to make way for younger members who do not carry any baggage, personal or political, and are willing to wage a war against a ruthless opponent.

Third pillar

The saffron-clad strongman and Uttar Pradesh chief minister, Yogi Adityanath, appears to be emerging as the third pillar within the BJP after Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. The monk is slowly but surely winning the hearts of the militant Hindutva crowd. Ironically, while it was Modi’s rise on the national platform that created a space for shrill Hindutva voices in the mainstream discourse, the same people who were a part of the Modi fan club now appear to be idolizing Adityanath. The elimination of the gangster, Vikas Dubey, in a police encounter saw many of these voices showering praise on Adityanath. Many called him the “best CM ever”, while some others said: “never mess with a sanyasi.” A majority of the Hindutva crowd loves the “thok denge (will bump off)” policy of eliminating criminals in encounters. In addition, Adityanath also pleases his backers by publicly asserting his Hindutva identity. Unlike many other BJP leaders, he shuns any effort that could show him reaching out to the Muslim community, even if it is in the form of paying lip service. His brazenness, in spite of leading a government that makes him duty-bound to serve all sections of the society, makes him the darling of the core saffron brigade. Many in the BJP feel that the Modi-Shah duo should be wary of the monk. After all, two’s company and three’s a crowd.

Blinkered vision

Last week, several English TV news channels began questioning the Telangana CM, K Chandrasekhar Rao, regarding his priorities in the midst of a pandemic. This was prompted by the decision to demolish the old secretariat building to build a new one. The irony is that none of these channels has been heard talking about the Central Vista Project that is happening right under their noses in the national capital. It is true that the Central Secretariat and the Parliament House buildings are not being torn down, still not so much as a whimper has been heard from these channels about the Narendra Modi government’s determination to go ahead with the extravagant project which satisfies nothing but vanity.

Way back home

A meeting that has set tongues wagging in Karnataka is that of the Congress state president, DK Shivakumar, and former CM and BJP leader, SM Krishna. They are not only both from the Vokkaliga community but were also from the same party until Krishna jumped ship. A section of the Congress is itching to know if it is time for the patriarch to return to the party he left a few years ago.

Footnote

The Karnataka CM, BS Yediyurappa, loves meeting people. From being the head of a party with little presence in the state to being its tallest leader, Yediyurappa has done everything from walking to cycling around villages to meet people and pose for photographs. But this has come to a halt since he is in home quarantine after three of his personal staff tested positive for Covid-19. Anyone who knows his love for being crowded by his admirers can imagine how restless he must be.