Delhi Confidential: Left to Right

When most Rajya Sabha members scheduled to retire in 2026 are not sure of their return to the Upper House, Ramdas Athawale of the Republican Party on Monday appeared confident of another Rajya Sabha stint. In his speech to felicitate Vice President C P Radhakrishnan, Athawale said that even as his present term is ending soon, he has been assured of another term, and that will give him more time to be present in the House with Radhakrishnan as Chair. In a lighter vein, he said that his next term (six years) as a Rajya Sabha member will extend beyond the Chair’s term in the House.

Closing UP

Reports of BJP national general secretary Arun Singh and general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh travelling to Lucknow on Monday gave way to speculative talks of the imminent organisational elections in Uttar Pradesh. A string of deliberations at the homes of several senior BJP leaders last week had also triggered speculation about organisational changes in UP to pave the way for the election of the BJP national president. Uttar Pradesh is scheduled to go to the local polls next year and the Assembly elections are in 2027.