Congress looking for new allies?
Will the Congress tie up with Akhilesh Yadav or will Rahul Gandhi employ the TVK model and dump an old ally in favour of a new one? Much is being read into his choice of Dalit leader, Rajendra Pal Gautam as the Congress Party’s UP in-charge. There is a buzz in Uttar Pradesh that the Congress would prefer to align with Mayawati’s BSP rather than the Samajwadi Party. During the BSP-SP tie up (2019 Lok Sabha polls), Mayawati was not able to transfer her Dalit vote bank to the SP, but the Congress is confident that the chemistry would work in its favour. And with the Congress now openly wooing the Muslim community (witness the campaign in West Bengal and Assam), the party is hopeful of cementing the Dalit-Muslim outreach along with Mayawati. Also the BSP leader’s recent reachout to Brahmins would help. This seems to be the takeaway within the Congress post the appointment of the new UP in-charge. Of course this is something that Akhilesh Yadav would be all too aware of, and he has his own social engineering in place. Since this is a combination that worked well in the recent Lok Sabha polls and benefited the Congress as well, there are some naysayers who are wondering if Rahul is making the right move.
Will he won’t he?
Well the buzz about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet reshuffle has reached a crescendo on social media. Given that the Prime Minister is out of the country from 27 to 29 June, the expected date has now shifted to early July. Moreover, the BJP president still has to do his own reshuffle at the party headquarters and it is only after Nitin Nabin gets his team in place will the PM make his move. One reason for this is that he wants to shift some cabinet ministers for party work, but does not want to make it seem like they have been dropped; recruited for party work makes a much better narrative. Nitin Nabin too is expected to undertake a very comprehensive reshuffle and this includes even shuffling the party spokespersons. There is a feeling of fatigue in seeing the same faces on TV for over a decade now and the party is determined to bring in fresh faces at all levels. Watch this space.
Season of Speculation
In all this, the successor for Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan gains significance. Although the President has another year to go before her term ends, candidates are already being vetted for her replacement. One senior cabinet minister belonging to the Big Four has indicated a preference for this job. But the question remains, will the PM shift his core team now or wait until next year? According to social media speculation, the former RBI governor, Shaktikanta Das could be inducted in the cabinet with the current Finance minister shifting to HRD, and Dharmendra Pradhan being drafted for party work. Having said this, one is not quite sure if this will actually happen. The PM has been supportive of Pradhan, with BJP leaders blaming the system rather than the Minister for the NEET mismanagement. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently wished Pradhan on X on his birthday. Moreover, the Congress baying for his resignation may just work in the reverse direction for this is one PMO that does not like to be pressurised into a decision. Witness the case of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister. Initially, there was speculation that Mohan Yadav may be asked to resign following some media stories against him. But soon after, the entire party apparatus was deployed to defend him. However, there is speculation that two other CMs may be shifted to the centre and see a change of guard. One of the names will surprise.
