West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attended the Inter State Council meeting in New Delhi on Saturday. This was the first time that she attended a CMs’ meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Earlier she would send Amit Mitra to meet the PM. Now that she has decided to support the GST and other crucial bills, all this is being seen as an indication that she has softened her stance on the PM.
Babbar was Rahul, Priyanka’s choice
Both Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra wanted Raj Babbar as the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee president. Although a Rajya Sabha member from Uttarakhand, Babbar, a Punjabi, has been acceptable to all castes.
However, Babbar will be used just as a front, while the strings will be pulled from behind by Delhi. The other choice, Sanjay Singh, was instead offered the post of the chairman of the campaign committee.
He initially refused to accept the post, but relented after Priyanka talked to him.
Kidwai argued Sheila’s case
Both Sheila Dikshit and Sanjay Singh should give credit to UP leader Mohsina Kidwai for becoming the CM face of the party in Uttar Pradesh and for being given charge of the campaign committee, respectively. Kidwai told Sonia Gandhi that unless the Congress had a Brahmin face, it could not defeat the BJP. Kidwai argued that Dikshit had ruled Delhi for 15 years and was the daughter in law of a veteran Congress leader from UP, Uma Shankar Dikshit, a Kanyakubj Brahmin, and being a name herself would get the Brahmins to the Congress fold. The Brahmins have always been the Congress’ vote bank, but are homeless. As for Sanjay Singh, Kidwai argued that a Rajput must be given charge of the campaign committee, as that way he can counter BJP’s Rajnath Singh, another Rajput. She argued that to fight the BJP, the Congress needs a Brahmin and a Rajput, while the Muslims will come automatically.
Khatri wanted to resign last month
Nirmal Khatri, who was UPCC president before Raj Babbar, has not been keeping good health and has been in Delhi for the last few days. He wanted to meet Rahul Gandhi, but when he failed, he went and gave his resignation to Sonia Gandhi. The Congress president is supposed to have asked him to hang on until his successor was decided. In fact, Khatri had offered to resign on 22 June when he was pulled up for not turning up to meet Ghulam Nabi Azad in Lucknow. However the high command has tried to keep Khatri in good humour by appointing him chairman of the screening committee. The Congress leadership has tried to maintain a balance of castes by appointing four vice presidents. One is a Dalit, the other a Brahmin, the third an OBC, and the fourth a Muslim.