Tridib Raman
With elections approaching in Assam, the era of political maneuvering is taking on new dimensions daily. Recently, the former chief of Assam Congress, Bhupen Borah, joined the BJP. According to reliable sources, a senior journalist from Assam played a major role in bringing Borah closer to the BJP. It is also said that this journalist took an active part in “locking the deal” between Borah and the BJP; he used his own phone to facilitate the first conversation between Borah and the Assam Chief Minister. It is said that the entire conversation between Borah and that prominent BJP leader was somehow recorded on the journalist’s phone. In it, the outspoken BJP leader is heard asking Borah, “How many other prominent people from your party can you get to join the BJP?” In response, the name of a high-profile outgoing Congress MP was mentioned, along with the information that at least four Congress MLAs in the state were ready to join the BJP. When the names of these MLAs were given, the reply from the other side was, “Wait, two of these are Muslim MLAs, what use are they to us? You just finalize the deal for the MP.” After finishing his task, the journalist called the same outspoken BJP leader and said, “My job is done.” From the other side came a boastful reply: “Don’t worry, you’ll get your rate.” Stunned, the senior journalist considered this an insult. It is believed that in a fit of rage, he handed over all the recordings from his phone to the senior Assam Congress leader, Gaurav Gogoi, and said, “Priyanka Gandhi is arriving here tomorrow; when she holds a press conference, play this entire recording for the media present there; it will cause a political storm in Assam.” It is said that when Priyanka reached Guwahati, Gogoi handed the recording to her. When Priyanka heard the entire conversation, she herself was stunned to realize that Congress leaders were also negotiating their own “rates.” Consequently, she advised Gaurav, “For now, it is best to put this matter on the back burner; otherwise, the release of this recording will cause as much humiliation for the Congress as for anyone else.”
‘Remove Karra’ Campaign Gains Momentum
A rebellion has begun to take shape against Jammu & Kashmir Congress Chief Tariq Hamid Karra. For the past year and a half, allegations have repeatedly surfaced that Karra has failed to keep the party united in the state. Recently, a steady stream of Congress leaders from Jammu & Kashmir arrived in Delhi. Initially, they sought to meet Rahul Gandhi, but as he was preoccupied, they turned to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge with the slogan: “Remove Karra, Save the Party.” Kharge’s dilemma is that he is hesitant to interfere, knowing that Karra was Rahul Gandhi’s personal choice for the state presidency. Now, the Jammu unit of the party has also joined the campaign with a distinct demand: they want a Hindu leader from Jammu to be appointed as President to dent the BJP’s strong Hindu voter base. It is worth noting that Jammu was once a stronghold for the Congress, but it has been four decades since the party had a Hindu state president (and even then, only briefly). Meanwhile, a large section of disgruntled leaders is equally upset with AICC In-charge Syed Naseer Hussain, who has ignored their protests for a long time, repeatedly telling them, “Give him a little more time.” Karra is accused of failing to organize a single significant party event in Kashmir during his tenure. Opponents know that removing Karra without Rahul Gandhi’s consent is impossible, but no one is willing to “bell the cat,” as leaders like Naseer Hussain lack the courage to speak up before Rahul, and Rahul himself has not granted the dissidents an audience. Consequently, all eyes are now on AICC General Secretary and Kashmiri leader G.A. Mir; although he is not currently on the best terms with the high command, he is seen as someone who could boldly present the matter to Rahul.
Harsimrat’s High-Stakes Diplomacy
For the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections, an agreement on seat-sharing has been reached between the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the BJP. Both parties have realized that unless Hindu voters shift away from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), it will be difficult to dim AAP’s prospects. If Hindu votes consolidate behind the BJP alliance, the contest will become triangular. Specifically, Sikh and Punjabi voters may split between the Akali Dal, Congress, and AAP, while Dalit voters currently seem naturally inclined toward the Congress. The credit for laying the foundation of this new Akali-BJP alliance goes primarily to Sukhbir Singh Badal. He was the first to meet Amit Shah in Delhi to agree on a joint contest. He also managed to convince Shah that “the Akali Dal would be the senior partner, Sukhbir would be the CM face, and the BJP would put its full financial and organizational weight behind the campaign.” It is said that the initial framework was agreed upon during this meeting. However, when Sukhbir returned home, his wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal was reportedly very angry because he had not discussed the bail and release of his brother-in-law, Bikram Majithia, with Shah. Following this, Harsimrat sought a meeting with Shah. During the meeting, she reportedly asked for only one favour as a “goodwill gesture”: that her brother Vikram Majithia be granted bail to mark a new beginning in the BJP-Akali relationship. Was it a mere coincidence that Majithia was released from jail on bail just a few days later?
In Annamalai’s Best Interest
Annamalai was once a rising star for the BJP in Tamil Nadu, but his luster seems to have faded recently. Although the former police officer remains a favorite of the RSS, and BJP General Secretary (Organisation) B.L. Santhosh is his biggest advocate, Annamalai’s dissatisfaction with the high command has grown since the party replaced him with Nainar Nagendran as the State President. Despite Annamalai’s objections, the BJP entered into an alliance with the AIADMK for the elections, settling for only 30 seats. The party assigned Annamalai the responsibility of ensuring victory in 6 of those seats, but he declined, citing his father’s hospitalization. When Amit Shah recently visited Tiruchirappalli, he reportedly summoned Annamalai for a stern “class.” Shah allegedly said, “You gave us a choice of four seats where you wanted to contest. But our ground survey shows you are not in a position to win any of them. A leader is one who can win their own election. You have lost two elections already, including Coimbatore, our safest seat. One does not become a leader just through RSS backing or becoming a hero on social media.” To this, Annamalai replied, “What haven’t I done for the BJP? I even sacrificed my established career.” Shah reportedly laughed and said, “So you want a reward for that sacrifice? Fine, we will bring you into the Rajya Sabha, but you should have mentioned this earlier.”
War Clouds Over the Middle East: Is a US Strike on Iran Imminent?
Despite the US Supreme Court ruling against him, President Trump remains firm in his stance. Sources suggest that if negotiations continue to fail, Trump could order a strike on Iran on March 1st or within that week. This possibility is gaining weight as the US has surrounded Iran from five key points, and the deployment of American forces in the Middle East is at its peak. Trump has signaled that any strike would be “limited” and focused on military bases. The US has given Iran a 10-day ultimatum to sign an agreement, and Iran has asked for four days to consider it. Experts believe the US could carry out targeted strikes using its Navy and Air Force. The US objective is to weaken the current Iranian leadership to the point of exit, paving the way for democracy. Another possibility is that the current leadership surrenders to US demands and changes its policy to remain in power, a sort of “Venezuela Model.” However, experts remain apprehensive that the massive deployment of US assets in the region after so many years points toward the strong likelihood of war. If this conflict breaks out, 20% of the world’s gas and oil supply could be disrupted.
A Power Wedding in Chennai
A high-profile wedding recently took place in Chennai, serving as a grand spectacle filled with prominent political figures and glittering film stars. The occasion was the wedding of Sahil Reddy, the nephew of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy and son of Jagan’s cousin, Y.S. Sunil Reddy. The bride is also a person of significant standing, being the daughter of the owner of the Murugappa Group. The ceremony, held at Chennai’s Leela Palace, saw the presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin alongside his son and State Deputy CM, Udhayanidhi Stalin. Film star Vijay, who is set to embark on a new political journey soon, also marked his presence. Vijay stayed for a considerable amount of time; his presence, particularly alongside Stalin, has led to much political speculation. Additionally, film star Suriya was present throughout the event. All in all, the gathering appeared to be an occasion for scripting new political alliances.
