Opinion Battlelines drawn
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modis much noticed absence from the BJP national executive in Delhi was not because of rivalry with L K Advani or recent thwarted prime ministerial ambitions.
Battlelines drawn
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modis much noticed absence from the BJP national executive in Delhi was not because of rivalry with L K Advani or recent thwarted prime ministerial ambitions. Modi stayed away because he was unhappy over the re-induction of senior RSS functionary Sanjay Joshi into the BJP fold. Joshi will play a major role in managing the BJP campaign in the UP assembly elections next year. The bad blood between Joshi and Modi is long standing. Modi is held partly responsible for Joshis disgrace and resignation as BJP general secretary in 2005. An RSS pracharak,Joshi was entrusted with the responsibility of liaising between the BJP and the RSS,until a sex tape surfaced in which Joshi allegedly figured. Somehow the incriminating tape reached senior BJP leaders. The Gujarat Chief Minister is furious that he was not even consulted by party president Nitin Gadkari before Joshis re-admission into the party. Some view Joshis entry as part of the power play between Modi and Gadkari and the top Nagpur bosses.
Fully in charge
The PMs principal secretary,Pulok Chatterjee,has taken complete charge of the Prime Ministers officer and is the deciding voice in matters of personnel policy. Chatterjee meets Sonia Gandhi at least once a week. Taking a lesson from the release of the Finance Ministrys embarrassing lengthy note on the 2G scam,Chatterjee has instructed his staff that RTI replies should be brief and not stray from the main point. There is now very little work for his predecessor,T KA Nair,and he is hoping to be made Rajasthan Governor.
Unresponsive Plan panel
Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh was vociferous in criticising the Planning Commissions poverty figures but Minister of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Kumari Selja has been the most consistent in attacking the Commission on this score. As early as April last year,Selja wrote to Chairperson Montek Singh Ahluwalia protesting that there was no proper methodology for estimating urban poverty. She pointed out that expenses on education,health,housing and transport are proportionately higher in cities than in rural areas. Receiving no response to her letter,Selja wrote a second letter in August 2010. In October this year Selja wrote a third letter strongly criticising the Planning Commission for not even bothering to consult her ministry on how to identify those below the poverty line. Unlike rural areas,the methodology for the determination of urban areas is still to be suggested by the committee headed by H R Hashim.
Barking up wrong tree
The Chinese authorities complain to visiting Indian dignitaries that the Indian media demonises China at the prompting of the Ministry of External Affairs. To counter this impression,the government had an off-the record briefing last Wednesday,urging our journalists to behave more responsibly on issues concerning China. Specific reference was made to the Leh PTI correspondent who,tipped off by the local army commander,routinely produces a report over the weekend on Chinese incursions. Unfortunately,the MEA has little influence over the army. In fact,just an hour after the informal press briefing,Army chief General V K Singh disclosed that there were 4,000 Chinese,including a good number of troops,in POK. His statement figured prominently in the Indian media the next day.
New-style lamp lighting
At the recent 50th anniversary celebrations of the Shipping Corporation of India in Mumbai,Prime Minister Manmohan Singh looked for a candle so that he could light the lamp which signified the opening of the ceremony. Minister for Shipping G K Vasan asked the PM to turn on a switch instead and immediately all five bulbs in the lamp lit up. It seems this novel method of lighting the lamp was devised because of a new SPG rule that fire torches and candles have to be kept away from the PM as part of the security drill. This could start a new trend in lamp lighting.
Half-hearted approach
It is not just Narendra Modi who is cool towards L K Advanis new yatra,other BJP chief ministers are also unenthusiastic about mobilising crowds. The yatra has been planned in the middle of the festive season. Even Vidhisha had to be dropped from the itinerary after it was discovered that Sushma Swaraj,the local MP,would be away in Delhi observing karva chauth. The RSS is still sitting on the fence in extending support to the yatra since it feels that Advani has not given a categorical assurance that he is not in the race for prime minister. Advanis own attitude towards the month-long yatra is half-hearted. He plans on taking two breaks for Diwali and his birthday.
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