There is a basic difference in the functioning of BJP and Congress. In BJP, if a leader is given an important responsibility and fails to discharge it properly, the party leadership does not hesitate to show him his real place. In contrast, in Congress it is as if leaders close to the top enjoy immunity for a hundred crimes. Rahul Gandhi himself had once, in a full meeting, levelled serious allegations such as selling party tickets against some of his favourites. Later, however, those same leaders were seen close to Rahul and continued, as before, to be entrusted with even more significant responsibilities. In recent days, an interesting scene was witnessed when Rahul took the same Krishna Allavaru along with him for lunch at a well-known South Indian restaurant in the Ashok Hotel. CPI (ML) leader Dipankar Bhattacharya was also in the car with Rahul. It may be recalled that Krishna Allavaru faced such strong opposition within Congress and RJD that he had to be summoned to Delhi midway through the Bihar elections. At Patna airport, Congress leaders and workers surrounded him and raised slogans against him. Serious allegations, including selling tickets, were also levelled against him. It was believed that Rahul Gandhi was deeply displeased with him, but Allavaru’s “Sagar Ratna” lunch with Rahul and Bhattacharya does not bear this out. After lunch, Rahul seated the CPI (ML) leader in his car and went on to drop him off at his office. It is said that at Bhattacharya’s request, Rahul also went with him to the ML office, where the two leaders spent some quality time together. Meanwhile, some senior Congress leaders feel that Rahul represents a major party and that, at the very least, he should not have gone to the office of a Left party. At the same time, some of Rahul’s admirers within the party are describing this as a sign of his humility and magnanimity.
Why did Priyanka meet PK?
Tridib Raman
Priyanka Gandhi wants to promote a new kind of politics in Congress, separate from Rahul. Perhaps this is the reason that at the Speaker’s tea in Parliament House she was seen laughing and chatting even with the PM and Rajnath Singh. And when she suggested that the blue turmeric grown in her parliamentary constituency, Wayanad, could be a solution to Delhi’s suffocating pollution, even PM Modi couldn’t hold back his laughter. Now we return to Prashant Kishor, who one day suddenly sent a message to Priyanka’s mobile, the gist of which was: “Whether we lose or win, the real question is why has contesting elections in this country become so difficult for other parties?” Priyanka found substance in PK’s point and invited him to meet her at her home. It is said that this meeting lasted about one and a half hours. Sources say that PK told Priyanka that before the 2029 parliamentary elections, the opposition will have to make a joint strategy. Only then will we be able to pose any challenge to the existing electoral process. PK said that if Priyanka wishes, she can talk to Mamata Banerjee and M K Stalin about this and bring them onto a common platform. As per sources Prashant Kishor also said that the existing system can allow the opposition to win in one or two states so that the illusion remains that democracy is alive in the country, but in any “key state” it is very difficult for opposition parties to win. Sources say PK also told Priyanka that in Bihar, she will have to let go of her attachment to Tejashwi, because he is not the real horse of Ashwamedha. To this, Priyanka responded quietly that the final call rested with her brother, Rahul.
Why Pankaj Chaudhary Was Chosen in UP
Tridib Raman
When the BJP declared Union Minister of State Pankaj Chaudhary as the state president of UP, it was considered a big political gamble. Pankaj Chaudhary, who belongs to the Kurmi caste, is a seven-time MP. In any case, in Purvanchal and central UP the Kurmi community plays a decisive role in elections. Generally, Kurmi voters in UP have been inclined towards the BJP, but in the 2024 Lok Sabha election these voters turned around and went into the SP’s camp. One may consider that the first major responsibility of Pankaj Chaudhary will be to bring his same-caste voters back home to the BJP. Although the Maharajganj parliamentary seat has so far remained an impregnable fort of the BJP, in the 2022 Assembly election, on the Pharenda Assembly seat here, Congress’s Virendra Chaudhary won unexpectedly. It should be noted that in that election Congress could win only two Assembly seats in the state. Apart from Pharenda, the Rampur Khas seat was won by Mona alias Aradhana Mishra, who is the daughter of senior Congress leader Pramod Tiwari. Anyway, somehow Virendra Chaudhary came into contact with Yogi Adityanath. Yogi saw strength in him, that he could be a counter to Pankaj Chaudhary. Yogi became active in bringing him into the BJP. Anyway, Congress had only two MLAs here, so there was also no fear of the anti-defection law. It is said that Yogi promised Virendra Chaudhary that next time, that is, in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, he would be given the BJP ticket. After receiving assurance from Yogi, Virendra Chaudhary started roaming in Maharajganj and also began increasing contacts with people, but by then this news had reached Pankaj Chaudhary. He rushed to Delhi and started circling the BJP Chanakya. As a result, ignoring Yogi, he was made to contest the 2024 election and after winning, he was also made a minister at the Centre. And see the surprising thing, in the 2024 election his contest was with the same Virendra Chaudhary whom Yogi wanted to field on a BJP ticket. Pankaj Chaudhary could win this election by only a margin of 35,451 votes, because the Congress candidate had the support of the SP and a greater tilt of Kurmi voters was also seen towards the SP. Pankaj Chaudhary is also the owner of the “Rahat Rooh” oil company, about which his rival Virendra Chaudhary had said in a programme,“You are the owner of Kubera’s treasury.” Will Yogi now be able to be “decoded” with the key of this treasury? This very major responsibility has been handed to Pankaj Chaudhary.
This time Saraogi was Desperate for a Ticket
Tridib Raman
BJP has handed over the reins of Bihar to the same leader who this time truly faced desperation for a ticket from Darbhanga. Sanjay Saraogi, who belongs to a Vaishya family, originally comes from Sikar in Rajasthan. This time he has won for the sixth time from the Darbhanga Assembly seat, from where he defeated VIP’s Umesh Sahni. According to sources, in this Bihar Assembly election clouds of danger were hovering over Sarawgi’s ticket because there was strong opposition to his name within the party itself. In such a situation, BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde proved to be Sarawgi’s saviour, who had the major responsibility of the Bihar election this time. Saraogi had also made many rounds of Mumbai. Tawde assured him that he would put in his full strength for his ticket. And that is what happened. On the final day of ticket distribution, Tawde stuck firmly to Saraogi’s ticket. In a full meeting he announced that he was asking for only one ticket for himself, and that ticket was Sanjay Saraogi’s. Ultimately, Saraogi succeeded in getting the ticket and registering a win from Darbhanga. Now see the decree of fate, the party leadership has handed over the reins of the saffron party in Bihar into his hands.
Why will Sidhu Change Colours?
According to sources, Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu, along with his wife, reached Morni Hills in Panchkula a few days ago, where the residence of former Punjab Chief Minister and now BJP leader Captain Amarinder Singh is located. It is said that a long meeting took place between these leaders here. Sidhu, through gestures, conveyed to the Captain that he is ready to return to the BJP if the BJP contests the upcoming Punjab Assembly election projecting him as the CM face. It is said that the Captain told Sidhu that this time the BJP will fight the Assembly election here together with the Akalis, and the Akalis will never agree to making Sidhu the CM face. So, the Captain has suggested to Sidhu that whatever decision he has to take, he should take it quickly, otherwise even his prospects in the Congress will continue to fade.
Annamalai Plan Goes Awry
Former Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai has been moving somewhat upset with his own party these days. Although after removing him from the president’s post, the party entrusted him with the major responsibility of vice-president in the Tamil Nadu BJP, he was not at all happy with being sidelined in this manner. Forty-one-year-old Annamalai is a former IPS officer, who, inspired by saffron ideology, left his well-settled police job and joined the BJP. The BJP also entrusted him, as president, with the major responsibility of establishing the party cadre in Tamil Nadu.But for some reasons, when he did not fully live up to the expectations of the party leadership, he was put into cold storage. According to sources, for some time now he had been working on a plan to form a separate party. He felt that he had built the BJP in Tamil Nadu with his blood and sweat, and that most party leaders and workers are still loyal to him. So, the day he announces his new party, there would be a big split in the Tamil Nadu BJP, and most of its leaders and workers would join his newly formed political party. Apart from this, he was also in contact with many former associates of Jayalalithaa. Annamalai felt that in the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly election, the influence of his newly formed party would be much greater than that of the BJP. Just when Annamalai was giving shape and structure to the formation of this regional party, this news quietly reached Raisina Hills. BJP’s Chanakya immediately sprang into action. He sent a senior party leader to Annamalai with a slip of paper. On seeing the slip, Anna abandoned the intention of forming a new party in a moment, and he got busy making the BJP organisation more active in Tamil Nadu. Just this Thursday, he was taken into custody along with hundreds of BJP supporters for protesting in support of Iduvai village. Now the question arises, what exactly was written on that slip of the BJP Chanakya that forced Annamalai to take such a rapid U-turn? Sources claim that some accounts of give-and-take were recorded on that slip.
A Quiet U-Turn?
Recently, a family function was held of former BJP MP from Purnia, Uday Singh alias Pappu Singh. Pappu Singh is also the national president of PK’s party, Jan Suraj. Naturally, Prashant Kishor was also present at the event. Journalists surrounded him there and began firing questions of various kinds. Amid this cluster of questions, one was also asked: “Will you continue advising political parties in the same manner as before?” It is said that, responding to this question with a light quip, PK remarked, “If a doctor himself becomes even more ill because of his own medicine, then which patient would come to him for treatment?”
