Lucknownama: Maya syndrome in SP!

Muslim leaders in Samajwadi Party,aspiring for various positions,make it a point to highlight their UP tag and their long association with the party,in contrast with others who have recently been rewarded by the leadership. First,Munawwar Saleem,who isn’t so well known even in his own state Madhya Pradesh,was sent to Rajya Sabha from UP. Next,Delhi’s Imam Bukhari’s son-in-law Umar Ali Khan was sent to the Legislative Council. Now when another vacancy has arisen in the council after Mayawati’s resignation,every Muslim partymen from UP thinks it is his turn this time. Insiders say the party may actually pick a candidate from the state. It is another matter that the old loyalists may again be disappointed. The leadership reportedly wants to choose Kokab Hamid,who had left the RLD recently. The calculation is that his induction in the council will help the SP get a foothold in western UP where it really needs some more strengthening.

BJP’s wild wild East

The BJP’s decision to appoint Laxmi Kant Bajpai as state president and Hukum Singh as party leader in the Assembly has surprised many. Both hail from western UP and this is the first time that both top positions have been given to persons from the same region. Sources said the decision shows the top leadership’s exasperation with the rivalries of leaders from eastern UP. Yogi Adityanath,Surya Pratap Shahi,Ramapati Ram Tripathi,O P Singh,Rajnath Singh — all are from eastern UP. The unwritten arrangement now is that the party’s national vice-president Kalraj Mishra,who is a member of the UP assembly from Lucknow,will take care of eastern and central UP while Uma Bharti,elected MLA from Charkhari,will handle party affairs in Bundelkhand.

Finally,some buzz

The arrest of UPCC executive member Daljit Singh by CBI in the foograin scam may have embarrassed the Congress but it has brought back some life into the party,which had become almost defunct after the Assembly elections. The day after the arrest,the otherwise deserted Congress office in Lucknow was bustling with activities. Many Congress leaders were there,anxious to find out what was happening in the party after Singh’s arrest. Mediapersons had gathered to find out Singh’s background and how he made his way to the party executive. The rivals of party president Rita Bahuguna Joshi would have everyone believe that Singh was a non-entity until she took over and promoted him. Her supporters,on the other hand,were pedalling the line that Singh had been in the party for ages and how he had been close to several leaders in the past.

Reporting to Delhi from home

After Director General of National Investigation Agency S C Sinha met Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav last week,it was announced that the agency will set up an office in Lucknow. The NIA has even sent a demand to the Department of Personnel and Training to provide a DIG-rank officer,preferably from the UP cadre,to head the office. So,here is an opportunity where an officer can go to Central deputation,yet remain stationed in Lucknow. IPS officers,who have been marginalised after the change of government in Lucknow,are busy working their contacts in Delhi.