Post poll grand alliance likely in UP
If Uttar Pradesh has a hung Assembly, then a grand alliance is likely to be formed in the post poll scenario. If the BJP emerges as the single largest party in UP and the BSP comes second, then the Congress may support Mayawati to form government in the state. Rahul Gandhi has already said that Mayawati’s policies were good, which is being seen as an admission that the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance is not forming government on its own. If Shivpal Yadav splits the SP and forms his own party, he will anyway support the BSP. There is said to be a tacit understanding between Shivpal and Mayawati. Even Ajit Singh’s RLD will join hands with the SP-Congress alliance to support the BSP. But even the BJP can play the Dalit card if it fails to form government and seek Mayawati’s support. If Mayawati joins hands with the BJP, the BSP will lose its Muslim votes forever.
Rawat is playing games
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat is not sure of winning from his constituency Haridwar, because of which he is contesting from two seats—Haridwar and Kichcha. Kichcha has a substantial Muslim and Sikh population. His decision has demoralised the Congress in the hill state, because they see it as a sign of conceding defeat to the BJP. Rawat is also making life difficult for PCC chief Kishore Upadhyaya by fielding an independent candidate, Aryendra Sharma against him from the Sahaspur seat. Rawat’s detractors say that he wants to become PCC chief if he loses the Chief Minister’s chair.
Mulayam is a lonely man
On the first day of the budget session of Parliament, Mulayam Singh Yadav was standing all alone in the corridor when his cousin Ram Gopal Yadav and even his most trusted friend Kiranmoy Nanda walked past him, without even acknowledging his presence. It is being said that Shivpal Yadav is cutting him off from his associates, while all his phones have been taken away by his family on the instigation of Akhilesh Yadav. Apparently, Mulayam is being tutored by Amar Singh through Shivpal.
Krishna wants own man as PCC chief
Congress’ 85-year-old leader S.M. Krishna may have quit the party for being sidelined, but party insiders say that it is just a pressure tactic to get his man D.K. Shivakumar selected as the Pradesh Congress Committee chief. Both Krishna and Shivakumar, the present energy minister in the Karnataka government, are Vokkaliga by caste. Their argument is, when the outgoing PCC chief, G. Parameshwara can continue to be minister and PCC chief, why cannot Shivakumar be both minister and PCC chief?
Mukherjee unlikely to get second term
With the Opposition seeking 651 amendments to the motion of thanks to the President’s address to the joint session of Parliament, it is being seen as a humiliation of the President. The government is now under pressure to discard the practice of the President giving the address. The view is that the Prime Minister should read out the address as it is written by the Cabinet. Meanwhile, Pranab Mukherjee is unlikely to get a second term in office. Mulayam Singh Yadav is tipped to be the consensus candidate. But the RSS may not support his name and the Congress can even field the erstwhile Chief Justice of India, T.S. Thakur as the Opposition’s candidate.