Power play
The grand spectacle in Varanasi led by none other than the prime minister, Narendra Modi, was seen as a sharpening of the Hindutva sword. However, in the corridors of power in Delhi, there is buzz of it being something more. Rumour has it that there is a rush to take credit if the Bharatiya Janata Party succeeds in retaining power in the heartland state, which will be a record of sorts. Many are of the opinion that after the inauguration of the Kashi corridor, Modi has virtually pushed the Uttar Pradesh chief minister, Yogi Adityanath, to the background and positioned himself as the mascot for the polls. Unlike most other BJP CMs, the saffron-clad Yogi is seen as a strong mascot of the Hindutva brand, who cannot be easily pushed aside. Within the sangh parivar, Adityanath would be next only to Modi in stature if he returns as CM of the country’s most populous state. The prospect of this happening has spread unease in sections of the current regime. While all this is part of hush-hush discussions in Lutyens’ Delhi, the BJP member of parliament, Subramanian Swamy, has put this out in the public domain. “In my recent visit to Mathura areas some VHS [Virat Hindustan Sangam] members from other areas spoke to me about their projections for 2022 UP elections. VHS estimate is that Yogi Adityanath will lead BJP to as large a victory as in 2017, i.e., 300+-” Swamy tweeted. “But beware of those who will try to grab the credit,” he mischievously added in his tweet.
Divergent voices
Even as the Bihar CM, Nitish Kumar, is striving against all odds to try and make prohibition a success in the state, his coalition ally and former CM, Jitan Ram Manjhi, of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), advised some people, “thodi thodi piya karo (drink a little)”. He argued that medical science also recommends drinking a bit of alcohol as it is beneficial for health. Even before this could sink in, Manjhi took another trajectory and revealed that the rich and powerful like IAS and IPS officers, MPs and MLAs, and other ministers in the state drink after 10 pm but are not arrested.
“The poor and the Dalits are being arrested for drinking half-a-bottle of liquor. Arrest only those from whom 50 or 100 litres of alcohol is recovered. Liquor is used in worship also. It was brewed in my house till some time ago. The poor should drink after 10 pm and not venture out of their homes,” the former CM added. Such a statement coming from an ally embarrassed the other partners of the ruling National Democratic Alliance, which ducked the volleys from the press and the Opposition and remained silent. However, some were even said to have expressed happiness over his honesty. Only Nitish Kumar stood resolute. On the other hand, Rohini Acharya, the daughter of the Rashtriya Janata Dal chief, Lalu Prasad, challenged the CM to take cognizance of Manjhi’s remarks and get the homes of the bigwigs raided.
Hot topics
The friction between Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) and the BJP over the caste census and special category status for Bihar is increasing. Kumar is advocating for these and getting vocal support from the Opposition, including the RJD, the largest party in the state. Both issues have socio-political and sentimental importance and have made people sit up and take notice of what is going on.
The delicately balanced legislative assembly and the growing warmth between Kumar and the RJD have sparked off speculations that something new is cooking in the state’s political cauldron. A senior JD(U) leader predicted a change, but added that status quo would be maintained till the Uttar Pradesh election results were out.
Still going strong
BS Yediyurappa is one leader who cannot be kept silent for too long. After his forced exit from the CM’s post in July, Yediyurappa is now training his guns against his successor, Basavaraj Bommai, over the delay in compensating farmers for crop loss owing to heavy rains and floods. Yediyurappa even endorsed the comment of the Congress lawmaker, RV Deshpande, about farmers being in dire straits and MGNREGA payments being delayed. Projected as a friend of the farmers, Yediyurappa urged the CM not to wait for Central funds and pay the farmers immediately. The Lingayat strongman has not shelved his political ambitions even after a teary-eyed farewell.
End station
E Sreedharan, popularly known as the ‘Metroman’, has had enough of active politics after losing his debut election in April. The retired technocrat was a face that the BJP counted on to turn its fortunes in the southern state dominated by the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led LDF and the Congress-led UDF. But the 90-year-old, who narrowly lost in the Palakkad assembly constituency, has decided to quit active politics after ‘learning a lesson’ — his party lost even the lone seat it had managed in 2016. From a political novice to quitting active politics in just 10 months, Sreedharan has perhaps seen it all and realized that the life of a politician is not something for him.
Footnote
The Odisha CM, Naveen Patnaik, took everyone by surprise by attending class in a government high school in his constituency in Ganjam. He quietly listened to the teacher and also mingled with the students, visited the laboratory, e-library and other state-of-the art facilities in the school. Some say that Patnaik’s soft corner for children propelled him to visit the school, but critics see a well-crafted strategy to convert young minds and create a new voter base.
