Delhi Confidential: Manohar Lal Khattar, the observer, indicator

In December last year, after the BJP won the Madhya Pradesh election with a landslide majority, the party had sent former Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar as an observer for the formation of the new government. The move had surprised many as it was unusual to send a sitting CM to oversee the selection of another CM. Some in the party said it never happened before. Party leaders now say it was a clear indication that the party’s top leadership could replace him. According to sources, the PM, who apparently appreciates Khattar and his political record, had sounded it out to him that the party wanted a fresh face ahead of elections in Haryana and that he should be mentally prepared for it.

Talking Books

Last week, while releasing a book on RSS founder Dr K B Hedgewar by Nana Palkar in the Parliament Complex, RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale ended up heaping praises on another book on the first RSS chief by BJP MP Prof Rakesh Sinha. Hosabale said there had been three good books on Hedgewar which included ‘Dr Hedgewar, The Epoch Maker’ by H V Sheshadri, and the books by Palkar and Sinha. Hosabale said Sheshadri’s book was not complete but it is available as an official epic. “What Nana Palkar wrote is also an authentic biography. But Sinha’s book is specially talked about with the Sangh. Perhaps Nana Palkar did not get access to all the facts. So, one must read all three books to understand Hedgewar,” Hosabale said.