Swift action

The Biju Janata Dal president and chief minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, helped the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance to elect Droupadi Murmu as the 15th president of India. Thus he would not let the saffron party take all the credit. Patnaik went out of his way to support Murmu — he sent emissaries to Congress leaders and also met independent members of the legislative assembly. But when Patnaik found the Union home minister, Amit Shah, writing a column on the editorial pages of Odisha’s leading vernacular newspaper and reiterating the commitment of the Narendra Modi government to the empowerment of tribals, the former decided to take action. Within a span of three days, Patnaik came out with a column on the editorial pages of newspapers stating how the BJD is committed to the development of tribals and women and how he has been working on this front since he assumed power in 2000. Patnaik mentioned that he had supported PA Sangma, another tribal leader, during the 2012 presidential polls. He also mentioned that Murmu’s swearing-in-ceremony was the “biggest moment for every Odia”. Patnaik ensured that he received more credit for tribal welfare and Murmu’s elevation to the country’s top office than the BJP, at least in Odisha.

Still unclear

As the date for the election of the Congress president approaches, party workers and leaders are in a tizzy because Rahul Gandhi has, so far, not given any indication that he would return to the helm. Party sources say Rahul is showing keen interest in the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the Rozgar Do Yatra but he isn’t talking about his plans regarding the top position.

A close aide revealed that Rahul is unlikely to take up the post of party president unless he is compelled by the rest of the senior leadership. Rahul has been telling leaders who met him recently that the Congress will have to come out on the streets for a sustained struggle. Several incumbent office-bearers insist that there is no possibility of any other person leading the party. But there is a lurking fear that he may ultimately decline and ask the Congress to choose another functional head while he concentrates on rebuilding the Grand Old Party’s relationship with the masses. The Congress will have to decide in August as they have to wrap up the process of organisational elections by September. If Rahul refuses, there will be a huge problem in picking a leader who can be acceptable to all factions and can work in tandem with the Gandhi scion.

Curious timing

The Bihar CM and Janata Dal (United) chief, Nitish Kumar, is down with Covid-19. The infection came as a surprise because he had reportedly barred most journalists from his janata durbar and other meetings. So when news emerged that Nitish has caught the virus, scribes started snooping around to find out how he fell ill. Sources revealed that Nitish had thrown a birthday bash for his son and invited a number of relatives and people from his inner circle. He fell ill just a day or two after that.

However, some senior BJP leaders think that there is more to it. The BJP is organising the first joint national executive meeting of its frontal organisations in Patna with the party president, JP Nadda, and Amit Shah as chief guests. “So many of our top leaders are coming and Nitish has fallen ill at such a moment. They will not be able to meet him,” one of them said. Lately, the BJP and the JD(U) have not been on good terms.

Edged out

The BJP member of Parliament and pilot, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, flew the first passenger flight from Delhi to Deoghar this week. The Deoghar airport in Jharkhand was recently inaugurated by the prime minister, Narendra Modi.

Rudy was a key minister in the Modi government earlier but now finds himself on the fringes. Recently, in Parliament, he was heard advising a parliamentarian who was talking to reporters to keep a distance from the media. “Be careful of the media... They only come to you when you have news,” he said. Rudy, who is busy these days as a commercial pilot, left quickly, but those present there could understand his pain. Not very long ago he was the one who would be encircled by the media.

Bold step

Snubbed and subdued — he is out of the Union cabinet and the Rajya Sabha — RCP Singh has finally thrown down the gauntlet before his erstwhile mentor, Nitish Kumar. He staked claim on Nalanda district which is represented by Nitish. “I have been born in Nalanda, while Nitish was born at Bakhtiyarpur in Patna district,” Singh said. After lying low for sometime, he has started moving around to attend functions and meetings, drawing in a sizeable crowd. His cavalcade is also growing. Many are wondering the reasons behind Singh’s actions and how Nitish will respond.

Footnote

The Malayalam actor-turned-politician, Suresh Gopi, who recently retired from Rajya Sabha, plans to get back to doing what he knows best. He has a few movies lined up. The BJP leader, who has been a harsh critic of the Left Democratic Front government, surprised everyone when he visited Sharada ‘Teacher’, the widow of the former CM and Left leader, EK Nayanar. This soon led to references such as ‘Comrade Suresh Gopi’, although many lauded him for burying party differences and calling on a respected comrade.