By Tridib Raman
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has somewhat distanced itself from the election of the new BJP president. According to sources, the decision on the new president has been left entirely to Prime Minister Modi. After the unexpected results of the Haryana elections, the morale of the saffron party is riding high, and the changed political landscape has forced the Sangh to reconsider its stance. It’s worth noting that the current BJP president, JP Nadda, took over in 2019, so there are expectations that the world’s largest political party will have a new president by December. The process for electing a new president is also in full swing. In this regard, the party has appointed K. Laxman, the president of its OBC wing, as the Chief Returning Officer, leading to speculation that the new president is unlikely to be from the OBC community. However, such predictions could prove baseless when it comes to the BJP, as Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who belongs to the OBC community, is still the most talked-about candidate for the position. The second most prominent name in the race is that of Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who is known to have good relations not only with Modi and Amit Shah but also with the RSS. Sources say that if Rajnath becomes the president, Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha could be appointed as the new Defence Minister. Names like Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Vinod Tawde are also being discussed, but ultimately, “what Modi wills will happen.”
Changing Stance of RSS on Hindutva
By Tridib Raman
As Prime Minister Modi heads to Russia for the BRICS summit, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat is seen advocating for ‘Sarva Dharma Sambhav’ (equal respect for all religions), moving away from the usual Hindutva agenda. Recently, in Surat, Bhagwat attended a major event of the Jain community and met with Acharya Mahashraman. During the meeting, he said, “India’s culture is such that we help even our enemies in times of crisis. We have thought well even of those who have waged war against us.” After this, Bhagwat will present his views on ‘Buddhism’ at the International Buddhist Research Institute in Kushinagar on November 29. After all, the Sangh chief who had been singing the tune of ‘Hindu Rashtra’ and ‘Hindus unite’ till now, has suddenly started talking about peace and forgiveness today. Can this new thinking of the RSS be seen in the light of China’s “religion diplomacy”? China is currently promoting Buddhism to increase its dominance in Asia and has even established a university focusing on Buddhism and Sanskrit. It is said that the RSS is showing some leniency towards China, considering America’s changing stance. If Kamala Harris becomes the new US President, her strict attitude towards the RSS might come to the fore. Currently, BRICS includes India, China, Brazil, South Africa, and about 10 other countries. In the coming days, the number of member countries could increase to 30, as 34 new countries, including Pakistan and Turkey, have applied for BRICS membership. The RSS wants to maintain its relevance in this changing geopolitical landscape.
CPI Gears Up to Challenge Priyanka in Wayanad
By Tridib Raman
On November 13, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi is set to contest her first election from Wayanad, Kerala, a seat vacated by Rahul Gandhi’s resignation. Wayanad is considered a stronghold of the Congress party, but the ruling LDF alliance in the state doesn’t want to give Priyanka an easy win. Therefore, the Communist Party of India (CPI) has decided to field their popular farmer leader, Sathyan Mokeri, against her. Mokeri, 70, is the CPI Secretary and the National Secretary of the All India Kisan Sabha. He has served three terms as an MLA from Kozhikode and narrowly lost the 2014 Lok Sabha election to Congress leader M.I. Shanavas by just 20,000 votes. It is understood that Priyanka Gandhi will have to put in significant effort to defeat Mokeri in Wayanad.
PK Could Make the Bihar Elections Interesting
By Tridib Raman
Though there’s still some time before the Bihar Assembly elections, scheduled for next year, political parties have already begun putting their full strength into the fray. Political strategist-turned-leader Prashant Kishor, too, is using every possible tactic to keep his newly formed party, Jan Suraaj, in the limelight. PK has his eyes firmly set on bureaucrats who enjoy a positive and popular image among the public. The first name in this list is that of Assam cadre IPS officer and so-called “super cop” Anand Mishra. BJP had convinced him to resign from his post, promising to field him in the Buxar Lok Sabha seat. However, for some reason, he didn’t get the BJP ticket. Now, Anand Mishra has emerged as PK’s top choice. Similarly, IPS officer Shivdeep Lande, known as “Bihar’s Singham,” had said while resigning from his post, “Now I want to serve Bihar.” Another “lady Singham,” Darbhanga SP Kamya Mishra, has also resigned from her post. Though Lande’s and Kamya’s resignations haven’t yet been accepted, it’s believed that both are in touch with PK. IPS officer Vikas Vaibhav had already received an open offer from BJP for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, but he did not join the party. Vaibhav, a 2003 batch IPS officer, plans to resign after completing 20 years of service to be eligible for his pension. Currently, he is setting up men’s and women’s units in every district of Bihar, a move that has made the BJP wary. PK is keen to capitalise on this opportunity, which could add an exciting dimension to the upcoming elections.
When Will the Canada-India Dispute End?
Recently, gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, imprisoned in Gujarat’s Sabarmati Jail, has been in the headlines for several reasons. His gang was linked to the public murder of NCP leader Baba Siddiqui, and now Canada has also mentioned his gang in connection with the assassination of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. At first glance, Canada’s accusations seem quite absurd, suggesting that our diplomats are using an imprisoned gangster to carry out such acts on foreign soil. Canada has allegedly shared this information with its “Five Eyes” allies, including the UK, the US, Australia, and New Zealand. But Canada didn’t stop there. It has also pointed fingers at a key minister in Modi’s cabinet, our national security advisor, and a senior officer from RAW (Research and Analysis Wing). There are even reports that a case has been filed against National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in a local US court, with a summons issued. The Washington Post published a report stating that during a meeting in Singapore on October 12, Canada presented some evidence to Doval regarding Bishnoi’s involvement. Amid the escalating tensions between India and Canada, a new chapter has been added. India has now requested the arrest of Sandeep Singh Sidhu, an officer of the Canada Border Services Agency and has declared him a fugitive terrorist. India has also demanded that Sidhu be extradited to face charges in India. He is accused of promoting terrorist activities in Punjab and having links with Pakistan-based Khalistani terrorist Lakhbir Singh Rode. Sidhu is also believed to be involved in the 2020 murder of Shaurya Chakra awardee Balwinder Singh Sandhu, who had long fought against Khalistani terrorists.
Omar Abdullah Doesn’t Want to Be Another Kejriwal
By Tridib Raman
Defying public expectations, National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah extended a friendly hand to the BJP-led central government soon after becoming the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. Omar has made it clear that he seeks a cooperative relationship with the Modi government and is focused on working collaboratively with the centre. Reportedly, Omar has confided in his close associates that he has no desire to follow in the footsteps of Arvind Kejriwal. Instead, his goal is to negotiate with the central government to restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and ensure smooth allocation of the state’s budget. However, BJP appears to have other plans. Shortly after Omar took his oath as Chief Minister, the state’s LG Manoj Sinha approved the nomination of five members to the assembly, a move strongly opposed by both the NC and Congress, who have labelled it unconstitutional. The matter has now been taken to court, with the Jammu High Court set to review it. If these nominated members align with the BJP, it could drastically alter the political landscape for Omar at any moment.
Congress Fails to Learn from Its Defeats
The Congress Party is one that never tries to learn any lessons from its electoral defeats. The latest case is related to its unexpected loss in Haryana. As everyone knows, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge announced the formation of a ‘Fact-Finding Committee’ to investigate the reasons behind this unexpected defeat. However, due to infighting within the party, the names of the committee members were never made public. Sources close to the Congress reveal that two key members of this three-member ‘Fact-Finding Committee’ are from Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Harish Chaudhary from Rajasthan have been entrusted with this significant responsibility. The plan was for the committee members to conduct district-wise tours in Haryana to gather feedback from the party’s official candidates, aiming to investigate the real reasons behind the defeat. Now, instead of visiting the field, the committee members are merely calling candidates to ask, “Did we lose because of the EVMs?”