RAHUL AND THAROOR ON THE SAME PAGE
Shashi Tharoor’s unfortunate slip on the steps of Parliament ended up in a hairline fracture and him having to navigate the next few weeks in a wheelchair. Given that these weeks are crucial campaigning days in his home state, Tharoor will have to do some expert navigating. But not one to be deterred, he was the first to announce his predicament via a well-crafted blog with a tongue in cheek title: “The Descent of Man”. He goes on to write, “having spent decades navigating the slippery slopes of politics and the treacherous inclines of debate, it was, quite ironically, a simple marble step that proved to be my undoing.” Given that he had just negotiated a detente with Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, the point is well taken. As is the buzz that it was Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal who had asked for the said meeting between the Congress leadership and Tharoor. And that too at Parliament House, thereby indicating that this was a meeting they wanted publicised, otherwise such conversations can take place at other less accessible venues. Moreover, the fact that Rahul’s current favourite read, General Naravane’s memoir, has an endorsement from Tharoor on its back cover is an added optics that the two are on the same page—for now. Tharoor just must watch out that his rivals in the Kerala Congress don’t pave his way with marble steps.
For various reasons, domestic private investment has been sluggish for the last few years. The Economic Survey also indicates that Indian businessmen have not stepped up investments. However, to her credit, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has not let up on her efforts and has been interacting with the Indian industry to invest big. Recently, at a CII conference, the FM told businessmen that they were like Hanuman and didn’t realise their own full strength. Which led someone in the audience to quip—maybe it’s time for Lord Ram to intervene. Let’s hope that the various trade deals that India is currently negotiating with the EU and the US will provide enough “interventionist” measures, divine or man-made.
The Hoodas’ annual lunch turned out to be quite a power statement, with both Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra dropping in. Rahul apparently loves chaat, especially aloo tikki and he promptly agreed when Deepender Hooda promised him the best from Rohtak. The optics and the signalling were more for the Congress party’s internal dynamics since party workers look for signs such as these to determine political ups and downs. Apart from the Gandhi siblings, there were as many as 30 MPs and other leaders from the Opposition and even a few from the NDA. The cuisine was chat-patta (spicy) and so was the conversation. But, that would be telling!
Despite its electoral reversals—or perhaps because of them—the Congress seems to have taken a hard decision vis-a-vis allies. Which is to bargain hard during seat sharing and try and build up its base in the states. One sees that in Tamil Nadu, where Delhi-based aides of Rahul Gandhi seem to be driving the agenda on coalition talks. They are not just asking for more seats but also a participation in the local government should the alliance return to power. However, this is one thing that M.K. Stalin and the DMK will not be okay with because one of the USPs of the Dravidian parties in the state is that they don’t share power in the state. Many feel that perhaps it’s a negotiating tactic to take to the bargaining table. In West Bengal, which is another state going to the polls soon, the TMC has shown no signs of extending an olive branch to the Congress. At a meeting with the state leaders recently, Rahul Gandhi told them not to hold their breath waiting for an invite, but to go ahead and plan on contesting all the seats alone. Given that in the next round of elections in Kerala, West Bengal, Assam and Tamil Nadu, the Opposition seems to have the edge. In Tamil Nadu and West Bengal it is the allies who are in the dominant position; while in Kerala and Assam it is the Congress, which has to do the heavy lifting. Clearly, Rahul understands this, which is one of the reasons why Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has been given charge of Assam along with Gaurav Gogoi, and a public rapprochement has been negotiated with Shashi Tharoor.
