Former union minister Vidya Charan Shukla is back in the news with reports of Congress General Secretary Margaret Alva—who is in-charge of party affairs in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra—being in favour of Shukla’s return to the party. Alva has in fact clubbed his case for a return to the party along with former Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Nirupam’s, and an announcement on their fate is expected soon. Shukla has already reached Delhi to lobby with senior Congress leaders including AICC treasurer Motilal Vora and union HRD Minister Arjun Singh. Vora is also PCC president and has made it clear that he has no objection to Shukla’s readmission into the Congress. A veteran Chhattisgarh politician, Shukla had left the Congress close to the Assembly elections in 2003 and joined the Nationalist Congress Party. He campaigned extensively for the Congress’ ouster from power in the state in a bid to settle political scores with former chief minister Ajit Jogi. In fact, the BJP owes its victory in the December 2003 elections to Shukla. The party later rewarded Shukla by giving him a Lok Sabha ticket from Mahasamund, where he fought against Jogi. But Jogi, despite his near-fatal road accident, defeated Shukla to wrest the prestigious Lok sabha seat that Shukla had won seven times earlier. If there is one person uncomfortable with Shukla’s possible return to the Congress fold, it is Jogi. Congress leaders in Chhattisarh are keenly watching the developments to see if Jogi will swallow this bitter pill, or manage to stall Shukla’s return—at least for the moment.Cows V/s sheep and goatsThe BJP’s most politicised scheme—that of distributing cows to adivasi families—has put the party in a quandry. And Chief Minister Raman Singh is finding it tough to eject from the scheme midway. After all, it was a promise the party had made in its election manifesto. ‘‘I still believe the scheme will work, if done seriously,’’ he says. But the Opposition benches occupied by the Congress are beginning to simmer with charges of the BJP committing a heinous electoral fraud by going back on their promise to the adivasi families. So far, only two cows have been distributed in the past 16 months, despite the target of distributing 20,000 cows in the current financial year. Some of the cows that were brought to the state from Punjab and Haryana were sick, and the milk yield—promised to be six to seven litres per day—was also barely two to three liters. An embarrassed Raman Singh last month ordered the Animal Husbandry Department officials to withhold distribution of the cows. Recently, former finance minister and veteran Congress leader Ram Chandra Singh Deo suggested that the CM restructure the cow scheme and distribute sheep, goats or hens instead of cows. Especially as the adivasis are not accustomed to rearing cows.To reshuffle or notSpeculation is rife over whether Chief Minister Raman Singh is planning changes in his cabinet. In fact, Singh had proposed a cabinet reshuffle three months back, but could not effect it as news leaked out of a powerful minister’s portfolio being changed. The budget session having ended three days back and Singh left for his village Thathapur, in Kawardha district, for Holi celebrations. Next week, when the CM is expected to begin recasting his cabinet, the fate of certain non-performers will hang in the balance. There are also chances of changes in key portfolios. Singh wants Speaker Prem Prakash Pandey to come aboard and is expected to drop two of his ministers—one of whom could replace Pandey as Assembly Speaker.The question is, who will step into the Speaker’s shoes? Brij Mohan Aggarwal, the Chhattisgarh Home Minister who was tipped for the post in December 2003, might not be too keen now. Aggarwal, in fact, has shown a remarkable improvement in his work, and has been spared by the Opposition of late. Renuka Singh, who holds the Women and Social Welfare portfolio, may be feeling a bit worried, what with the many controversies surrounding her and her defiance of state BJP president Shiv Pratap Singh.Compiled by Ashwani Sharma
