New calculations

The diplomat-turned-politician, Hardeep Singh Puri, has suddenly become one of the ministers most sought after by the Prime Minister’s Office. Puri holds two key portfolios — housing and urban affairs and petroleum and natural gas. His importance, however, is not because of the departments he heads, but his Sikh identity. He is the only Sikh person in the Union council of ministers. Ever since the PM has been trying to woo the community after protests over the three farm laws were led by farmers from Punjab — there was a visible Sikh presence — the importance of Puri has suddenly soared. Modi was compelled to withdraw the farm laws late last year after the farmers refused to end their protest at Delhi’s borders. The farm protests generated the perception that the Bharatiya Janata Party was against all minorities, including Sikhs. Modi is determined to regain the BJP’s foothold in Punjab. The victory of the Aam Aadmi Party in that state has also alarmed the BJP. Many outreach events, including one to mark the birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur at the Red Fort, are being undertaken by the Modi government and Puri is the go-to person for these. Going by the PM’s speech at the birth anniversary event, apart from wooing the Sikhs, the hidden agenda seems to be to drive a wedge between Sikhs and Muslims.

Heart of gold

Assam recently got seven new cancer hospitals, which were inaugurated by Narendra Modi. He also laid the foundation of seven more hospitals. The state government pulled out all the stops to make the inaugural function at Dibrugarh a success. However, the one thing that lingered on much after the dust had settled was the speech by the chairman of Tata Trusts, Ratan Tata. “I dedicate my last years to health and [to making] Assam a state that recognizes and is recognized by all,” the visibly unwell and struggling Tata said. He instantly became a hero to those who heard him at the venue and beyond, triggering an outpouring of love, respect and admiration for the “most respected industrialist of the country”. Clearly, things that are said and done from the heart have far greater impact than any marketing blitzkrieg can ensure.

Ratan Tata

Spooky affair

The senior BJP leader and Bihar industry minister, Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, is facing troubles of a supernatural kind, especially when he is about to travel somewhere. The windshield of his vehicle shatters the moment he steps in. This has happened at least five times over the past few weeks, leaving him worried. “People close to me suggested that somebody must be casting an evil eye on me. Certainly, I am working so much to bring industries to Bihar... Some people must be jealous of my work,” Hussain confided. His well-wishers have suggested remedies, including consulting a witch doctor. But he has not even accepted the suggestion to hang lemon and chillies, threaded together, on the rearview mirror. “I don’t believe in these things,” he said. His party colleagues are also confounded about the happenings. There has been no police complaint yet.

Keep calm

The minister of state for home affairs, Nityanand Rai, has cemented his place in the BJP as a hot-headed person. Everyone is afraid of him, more so because he is close to the Union home minister, Amit Shah. Recently, he lost his cool with the MLA and former minister, Nitish Mishra — an affable and mild-mannered, foreign-educated politician — during a meeting on the preparations for the ‘victory day’ celebrations of a hero of the 1857 Rebellion, Veer Kunwar Singh, at Jagdishpur in Bihar. Rai questioned Mishra’s political capability to gather people when the latter tried to point out some practical difficulties in bringing people from far-flung districts in this scorching summer. Other senior BJP leaders had to intervene. People say that Rai used to be calm, but now part of his anger stems from the power he wields, while the other part is because of his unrealized dream of becoming the chief minister of Bihar. He is considered a strong contender, but the incumbent CM, Nitish Kumar, from the Janata Dal (United) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal leader, Tejashwi Yadav, are standing in his way.

Lone fighter

The BJP member of Parliament, Aparajita Sarangi, is being increasingly isolated within the party. When she questioned the Biju Janata Dal government about the alleged violation of norms during the construction of the Puri Srimandir Heritage Corridor Project and undertook a padayatra in protest, she was only supported by the common people. The padayatra didn’t go down well with the supporters of the Union minister of education, Dharmendra Pradhan. They felt that she should not have taken out a march when Pradhan is looking after the interests of the state. But Sarangi remains unperturbed.

Footnote

The CM of Karnataka, Basavaraj Bommai, is a harried man these days. After receiving a lot of flak for his inability to rein in the saffron brigade in the state, he now has a new headache — accommodating aspirants to cabinet berths. With five slots available against more than a dozen aspirants, Bommai is desperately waiting for the Union home minister, Amit Shah, to arrive on May 3. Bommai expects Shah to cajole or contain dissidents who would otherwise prove to be bigger problems.