Political Gup-Shup: Party or popularity?
As BJP president Amit Shah prepares for a reshuffle of party office bearers there is unusual reluctance among its spokespersons to a possible upgrade. This is surprising as any proposed change in the Union Cabinet or the party office bearers is normally preceded by hectic lobbying by aspirants. However, in this instance, BJP spokespersons would rather stay on in their present jobs than be promoted as general secretaries as this would mean the end of their “television careers”. Thanks to their regular participation in prime-time debates on TV news channels, BJP spokespersons enjoy high visibility.
For instance, the belligerent Sambit Patra, who is relatively junior in the party, has become synonymous with the BJP as he regularly battles his political opponents on television. In fact, he has become so popular in his home state of Orissa that he is giving sleepless nights to petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who sees himself as a prospective CM. Was former minority affairs minister Najma Heptulla asked to resign from the Cabinet to pave the way for the removal of Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel? The BJP is currently in the throes of discussions that Ms Patel’s days are numbered as she had failed, first to deal effectively with the Patidar agitation and, subsequently, with the dalit anger.
Since she was handpicked by the PM after he moved to Delhi two years ago, Modi apparently believes that faulting the CM will reflect poorly on his judgement. According to the BJP grapevine, Ms Heptulla was asked to step down in accordance with the Modi government’s unwritten rule that no minister will be above 75 years of age. Her case can now be cited as a precedent to ease out Ms Patel who will be 75 years old later this year. This view has gained credence because as Ms Heptulla celebrated her 75th birthday last year but was asked to continue till now. Ms Heptulla is not complaining as she hopes to be accommodated in a Raj Bhavan or fielded for the vice-president’s post next year.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee created a stir when she visited Parliament last week for the first time after her victory in the recent Assembly elections. Trinamul Congress MPs had lined up in advance to escort her to the Central Hall. She was the star of the show as MPs from other parties, including BJP’s Poonam Mahajan and SP’s Dimple Yadav, also wished her. Ms Banerjee was her usual self as she called out a greeting to her MPs. While others were let off easily, MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar was not so lucky as she was ticked off by the CM for her late arrival. An apologetic Dastidar insisted that she was only three minutes late, but Ms Banerjee stated firmly that all MPs must be punctual. Observing Ms Dastidar’s sari, Ms Banerjee made a caustic remark saying that “Black and pink is good but black is too black”.
No trip by Ms Banerjee can be complete without a sing-song session. Even S.S. Ahluwalia, Darjeeling MP and parliamentary affairs minister, was not spared as he was asked to sing when he dropped in to say “hello” to the CM. Ever since the Congress announced that it would revive the defunct National Herald and the Hindi and Urdu newspapers Navjeevan and Quami Awaaz, it has been on the look out for party-friendly editors. While names of several contenders have been doing the rounds, former Rajya Sabha MP Mani Shankar Aiyar’s name is the latest to do the rounds. Mr Aiyar, it is said, is being considered for the position of group editor. Mr Aiyar, it is said, eminently qualified for the job as he is a Congress loyalist, a self-confessed Nehruvian and a good writer. Moreover, he is currently free as his Rajya Sabha term ended a few months ago.
