Ram Gopal vs Amar was the real story
The Samajwadi Party drama was, in a way, the result of an ego fight between Akhilesh Yadav’s main adviser Ram Gopal Yadav and Mulayam Singh Yadav’s friend and adviser Amar Singh. Shivpal Yadav was just a pawn in the entire game. Akhilesh was wary of his stepmother Sadhna Gupta and sister-in-law Aparna, who were against him, so it suited him to play along with Ram Gopal. Mulayam, even though he was being guided by Amar Singh, was not so naïve as not to understand the game. The buzz is that he played the “opponent” only to give an aura of independence to his son. This helped mobilise support for Akhilesh. Apparently, hardcore Mulayam followers like Kiranmoy Nanda went over to Akhilesh’s side with the consent of the veteran Samajwadi. The biggest loser is Shivpal Yadav, who failed to see through the game.
Priyanka is a major force in Congress
Priyanka Vadra may not be campaigning for the Congress in the Assembly elections, but she has emerged as a major force for the party. Congress’ Janavedna convention against demonetisation is said to be her idea. She also monitored the preparations and was the last to leave the venue a day before the convention. Apparently, she also wrote the speech that Rahul delivered at the convention. It was again her suggestion to ally with the Samajwadi Party, and it was at her residence that Dimple and Akhilesh Yadav met Rahul over dinner. However, sources say that Priyanka withdrew from the campaign once it became clear that the Congress would not be fighting alone in Uttar Pradesh. But she has indicated that she would campaign for the party in 2019.
Where is Prashant Kishor?
The biggest question in Congress circles these days is about where Prashant Kishor is. The much-touted adviser to Rahul Gandhi on election strategy has disappeared after ruining the Congress’ prospects in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress leadership in the state is furious with PK, especially over projecting Sheila Dikshit as Chief Ministerial face and then abandoning her, thus alienating the Brahmins. He then went to Punjab, but got thrown out of the state by Amarinder Singh. Some are saying that Kishor is now in Uttarakhand, advising Harish Rawat. Ever since PK has landed in Dehradun, the situation has deteriorated, and now the Congress is said to be facing a major defeat. PK suggested the projecting of a Brahmin leadership, but in Uttarakhand the Brahmins are abandoning the Congress. He is supposed to have charged the Congress a hefty fee, in spite of his failures. If a senior JDU leader is to be believed, Prashant Kishor is nobody’s man; he goes where the money is.
Congress pushes Brahmins to BJP
The Congress has successfully pushed the Brahmin community into the BJP’s pocket. By abandoning N.D. Tiwari, one of its most prominent Brahmin leaders, Congress has also abandoned its Brahmin leaders in Uttarakhand. They are joining the BJP in droves. Another senior Brahmin leader from the Congress in Uttarakhand, Indira Hridayesh too is all set to say goodbye to the party. The current Chief Minister, Harish Rawat is largely to blame for the situation. Anybody who is even distantly related to him are either an MLA or an office-bearer in the PCC or is an MP. He is also appeasing his own Thakur community, giving rise to disillusionment among the Brahmins. Despite several petitions made to Rahul Gandhi by Pradesh Congress Committee chief Kishore Upadhyaya against Rawat, the CM continues to be as autocratic as before. Similar is the case in Uttar Pradesh, where ex UPCC chief, Rita Bahuguna Joshi, a Brahmin, has joined the BJP. There is talk that even Sheila Dikshit may join the BJP.
Sidhu induction causes fissures in Congress
Rahul Gandhi is being accused of creating fissures in his own party. In Punjab, where the congress is tipped to win the polls, Rahul has created problems for Captain Amarinder Singh by bringing in Navjot Singh Sidhu. The buzz is that Sidhu has been promised either Chief Ministership or Deputy Chief Ministership. But Congressmen in Punjab say that they should not have two Sikhs for both posts, Amarinder as CM and Sidhu as his deputy. The Congress there is basically a “Hindu party” and cannot afford having a non-Hindu as Deputy CM.
SCs not mentioned
The Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow has issued an advertisement (number, 1=43/20/16/17DT 26.12.2016) for the recruitment of sisters Grade II on a pay scale of Rs 9,300-Rs 34,800. The total posts mentioned are 83. Out of these, five posts are reserved for STs, 11 for OBCs, while the rest of the 67 seats are for the General Category. Missing in this are the Scheduled Castes, which is unconstitutional. The Akhil Bharatiya Dalit and Muslim Mahasangh has asked the state government to withdraw the advertisement. Suresh Kanojia, the president of the organisation has written a letter to the district magistrate of Lucknow drawing his attention to the issue.