WHAT IS NITISH KUMAR UP TO?
Recently Nitish Kumar created quite a stir within the I.N.D.I.A bloc when he commented that the Congress was too busy fighting the state elections than focusing on the Opposition alliance. the Bihar Chief Minister was speaking at a rally organised by the CPI. It is interesting that he chose to air his views on a public platform rather than in private with the Congress leadership. Clearly, he is posturing and the remark was as much for the optics as it was about the content. Being a seven-term CM, Nitish Kumar is certainly one of the tallest leaders in the I.N.D.I.A bloc. He is also one of the prime movers behind this alliance. And again it was he who gave the Opposition a definitive narrative to take on the BJP when he announced the caste survey. It’s an issue that Rahul Gandhi has since walked away with, but that’s another matter. But back to Nitish Kumar, it is no secret that he has ambitious plans for himself and sees himself as the PM face of the alliance. Currently the alliance lacks a leader, or even a convenor. However, if Nitish fancies this role for himself, then he has to contend with the Congress. And the only pan Indian party in the Opposition, the Congress would like to take this role. While Rahul has ruled himself out, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge could emerge as a consensus face. Perhaps it is to give himself a wider appeal that one is hearing that Nitish Kumar is now planning to contest from Uttar Pradesh—the seats being talked about are Varanasi and Allahabad. If true, then wonder what Akhilesh Yadav feels about these plans, though Tejashwi Yadav would probably be quite happy to see Nitish Kumar contesting from outside Bihar. All in all, the I.N.D.I.A bloc is as much about politics within than outside.
A CONG CM ON A COMEBACK TRAIL?
If the opinion polls are right and the Congress retains the state of Chhattisgarh then Bhupesh Baghel will be the first Congress Chief Minister to stage a comeback in over a decade (since Sheila Dikshit lost Delhi in 2013 after serving as a three-term CM). That itself is quite a milestone given the current state of the party. In fact, the Baghel model is being touted within the Congress as an example as to how leaders can be groomed if given an opportunity. And where does this leave his bête noire, T.S. Singh Deo, who was a chief ministerial contender in the last round of Assembly elections. While Singh Deo is not too happy with his current post of Deputy CM, which was offered at the very last minute, right on the eve of the assembly polls, to placate him, it does seem doubtful if he will be offered the CM’s chair anytime soon.
JAI AND VEERU IN MADHYA PRADESH
Is all well with the Kamal Nath-Digvijaya Singh duo, for this is a political friendship that is as difficult to read as was the Advani-Vajpayee equation? To put it very generally, as long as there is an outside threat, the two combine forces as they have done against the Scindias, the Shukla brothers and even Arjun Singh. But now with Jyotiraditya Scindia out of the Congress, the party is divided between the fiefdoms dominated by either Digvijaya Singh or Kamal Nath. Add to that the fact that both have a Gen Next in the field, whose futures they need to secure. Even if these are mere rumours, the BJP is only too happy to add a generous dash to innuendo and gossip to keep the rumour mill churning. To counter this perception the duo are going out of their way to signal the right optics that all is well, with their supporters referring to them as the Jai and Veeru ki jodi (from the hit film Sholay). But even in a friendship as great as that, one friend ended up taking the bullet for the other. Will that be the case here and is Digvijaya ready to step aside for his “friend”? Well, watch this space.