Change of J&K Governor?
The Central government has for long been mulling a change in Governor for strife-torn Jammu & Kashmir and has even short-listed some names. There is a suggestion to give the charge to a retired army general instead of an ex-civil servant—and we have also seen various candidates auditioning for the job in TV studios as they voice their solutions to the Kashmir problem. That Governor N.N. Vohra is on his way out is certain, the question only remains as to his timing. Sources reveal that the change may happen after the Amarnath Yatra concludes in August. So Governor Vohra gets another summer in the Valley.
Kamal Nath’s Next Move
Last fortnight, speculation was rife over the possibility of Congress veteran Kamal Nath crossing over to the BJP. Although Nath has since denied such reports, BJP leaders admit that if he did join them, the Congress would be wiped out in Madhya Pradesh. If the BJP realises this, will the Congress make the same calculation and give Nath the charge of the state? With Digvijaya Singh over-playing the minority card and also staying out of state politics, the MP leadership race is clearly between Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia. But the Congress leadership is still to make a call regarding this state though the recent reshuffle has seen new faces take charge of other election going states such as Gujarat and Karnataka. In Rajasthan, too, which goes to polls the same time as Madhya Pradesh, the PCC chief Sachin Pilot has been given a free hand with his bete noir Ashok Gehlot being given charge of Gujarat.
Yogi Does a Modi
Does anyone remember the early days of Narendra Modi’s prime ministership when the PM launched his Swachh Bharat mission by picking the broom and sweeping the streets himself ? Well, recently we saw the UP CM, too, sweeping the streets of Lucknow in full view of the TV cameras to make a symbolic point. Clearly, Yogi Adityanath is following the Modi rule book very closely. Are we seeing the grooming of a Gen Next Modi!