Pawar’s Latest Play
NCP leader Supriya Sule’s press conference last week took some of her I.N.D.I.A bloc partners by surprise. While speaking to the media when asked about the Delimitation Bill, she did not outright oppose it, but commented that the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) would wait to see the Bill before deciding whether to vote for it or not. This announcement did not, however, surprise one person and that is former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan. The Congress leader and former Union Minister has always been wary of Sharad Pawar and was one of those who was not in favour of aligning with the NCP from day one. Even before Supriya Sule’s press conference he told NewsX that Pawar had three options before him. One was to join the NDA and secure a Cabinet berth for the party; the other was to merge with the Congress; and the third was to give issue-based support to the NDA. Clearly, Supriya’s press conference indicates that Pawar is veering towards the third option. Interestingly, before this announcement, Supriya had made a trip to Lucknow where she met with Dimple Yadav. Did she discuss this move with the Samajwadi Party? And more importantly, can the NCP remain with the I.N.D.I.A bloc if it supports the contentious Delimitation Bill?
Softening the Blow
The news that the all-powerful Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal would not become the next Kerala CM after Congress won the elections in the state, was conveyed to him by none other than Rahul Gandhi himself. After a meeting with Sonia Gandhi at 10 Janpath, when it was decided that the post would go to V.D. Satheeshan, Rahul said that he would himself go and break the news to a colleague whom he trusted and valued greatly. Until then KCV had a fair chance at the job for a survey of the winning MLAs from the state had put him well ahead in the race. Clearly, this was not the news that he was expecting. According to sources, when Rahul broke the news, his eyes welled up because he realised that there were no comebacks from this decision. But down the ranks Rahul’s going over has sent a strong optic in terms of softening the blow. In fact KCV continues to hold the same power as he did prior to his bid for Chief Ministership. Some Congress leaders working in close proximity with him even say that they have sensed a change in KCV’s demeanour, finding him more accessible and easier to talk to than earlier. If that is the case, then more power to KCV for taking bad news in the right spirit.
Delimitation Now
Those who were thinking Home Minister Amit Shah has put the Delimitation Bill on the back burner need to think again, for this is something that has his complete focus as the next big-ticket item on his agenda. Plus he is known to pull surprises in the Monsoon Session—the Triple Talaq Bill and the abrogation of Article 370 all happened in Monsoon Sessions. So, watch this space as Parliament reconvenes on 21 July.
