Today in Politics: Fallout of Ramesh Bidhuri’s appointment by BJP as another political row erupts

Plus, Mallikarjun Kharge in Chhattisgarh to unveil social welfare initiatives of the Bhupesh Baghel government, and Amit Shah and J P Nadda will meet local RSS leaders in Jaipur.

The BJP’s decision to appoint Ramesh Bidhuri as the leader in charge of its affairs in the Tonk district of poll-bound Rajasthan has triggered a political row. (Facebook/RameshBidhuri)

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The BJP’s decision to appoint Ramesh Bidhuri as the leader in charge of its affairs in the Tonk district of poll-bound Rajasthan has triggered a political row as it comes a week after the South Delhi MP was heard hurling communal slurs and abuse at Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP Danish Ali in the Lok Sabha on the last day of the special session of Parliament. With a few Opposition leaders taking to social media to criticise the BJP’s decision, expect more reactions and counters today.

Tonk, which has four Assembly constituencies, has a sizable Muslim population. The district also has a sizable Gujjar population and the BJP will expect the MP to swing the votes for it. At present, the BJP controls only the constituency of Malpura in the district while the rest are with the Congress, including Tonk whose legislator is Sachin Pilot who is also a Gujjar.

The news of Bidhuri’s appointment comes a week after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma made speeches in the state playing up identity politics and it may indicate the BJP’s move to strategically use identity politics in the poll-bound state.

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Bidhuri’s appointment drew flak from Opposition leaders. Taking a dig at the BJP by using its “Sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas (With all, development for all, and with their trust)” slogan, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh wrote on X, “Sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas — yeh sab hai inka bakwaas (all of this is their nonsense).”

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra said Bidhuri had been “rewarded” for his remarks against a Muslim MP. “How does a showcaused person be given new role by @BJP4India? @narendramodi ji — is this your Sneha Yatra for minorities, your love outreach?” she said on X.

Knew it! @rameshbidhuri rewarded for calling Muslim MP “Bhadwa” & “Katwa” in Lok Sabha. How does showcaused person be given new role by @BJP4India ? @narendramodi ji – is this your Sneha Yatra for minorities, your love outreach? https://t.co/mS6kX9dBUX via @swarajyamag

— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) September 27, 2023

In Chhattisgarh, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will attend a gathering of farmers and labourers in Balodabazar-Bhatapara district of the poll-bound state. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel will also be present at the “Krishak-sah-Sharmik Sammelan” that will be held around noon in Bhatapara town.

This will be Kharge’s third visit, in two months, to the Congress-ruled state where victory, according to party MP Rahul Gandhi, is certain. The Congress is expected to benefit from the party’s caste census pitch in Chhattisgarh as it is among the states with one of the highest Other Backward Class (OBC) populations in the country — as per a 2019 survey by the National Statistical Office 51.4% of rural households are OBCs — and the CM is among the tallest OBC leaders. Last week, the Congress leadership held a meeting with the heads of its OBC departments in states and asked them to compile district-level data on OBC share in wealth and power. This is in line with Rahul’s push for the caste census that the party believes is the key to blunt the BJP’s Hindutva politics. On Monday, Rahul Gandhi said in Bilaspur that caste headcount was key “if we want to give participation to OBCs, Dalits, tribals and women”.

At the event on Thursday, a total of Rs 1,895 crore will be disbursed into the bank accounts of 24.52 lakh farmers under the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojna. Besides, an incentive of Rs 57.18 crore will be disbursed to 33,642 sugarcane growers. The event will also see the launch of Mukhyamantri Nirman Shramik Pension Sahayata Yojna for construction workers above 60 years old registered with the workers’ board for 10 years.

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Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda, who reached Jaipur late Wednesday evening to hold discussions with the party’s Rajasthan leadership, will meet local RSS leaders on Thursday amid speculation that the BJP could ask two Union ministers to contest the state polls.

— With PTI inputs