Scindia Flying High
It does seem that Congress leaders who crossed over to the BJP are now reaping the benefits of the move. Jitin Prasada has been given a hefty portfolio in the Yogi Adityanath Cabinet and Jyotiraditya Scindia seems to have secured a niche for himself with the Modi-Shah duo. Recently a photograph of the Scindia family calling on the Prime Minister made rounds on the social media, and there is some (unverified) speculation that he may replace Shivraj Singh Chouhan as the state CM. Interestingly, there is also a change in the way Scindia’s erstwhile colleagues from the Congress are treating him. Initially, when he joined the BJP (2020) there was a lot of criticism for he was the first from Rahul Gandhi’s inner circle to break ranks. But since then others such as Jitin, Sushmita Dev and R.P.N. Singh have quit the party. There was also a feeling of betrayal that since Scindia left after ensuring the collapse of the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh. However, of late, Congress MPs have been spotted in Parliament, making a beeline for Scindia, mostly with requests for flights and airports in their constituencies. And given that the new Civil Aviation Minister is fast acquiring the reputation of announcing an airport for every airstrip he encounters, these requests are met with a convincing degree of assurance. (Recently, Scindia told the Lok Sabha that the government plans to build 220 new airports by 2025). Well, nothing wins friends like success and it does seem as if Scindia’s flight plan has finally been given the clearance to take off, after a longish wait at the BJP hangar.
Politically Correct Puri
Last week, the IFS community got together to felicitate Cabinet Minister and former diplomat Hardeep Singh Puri. The occasion was organised by IAFA (Indo-American Friendship Society) to felicitate both Hardeep Puri and his wife (who is also a former ambassador) Lakshmi Puri. The hosts also used the occasion to get Hardeep Puri to release a book entitled, “India’s Foreign Policy in the Post Covid World”, which was a collection of essays by former ambassadors and edited by former ambassador, Surendra Kumar. For Puri it must have been a pleasant walk down memory lane as speaker after speaker recalled his days in the Foreign Service, with anecdotes that revealed a career officer known both for his sharp wit and easy friendships. When it was his turn to speak, Puri revealed how he had been attending the Indian Ocean Conference (in 2017) when he got a call from the Prime Minister. When he went to meet Narendra Modi, he began briefing him about the conference but somewhere down the line realised that it wasn’t Sri Lanka that the PM wanted to talk to him about. The PM intervened saying that he would meet Puri over breakfast the next day, and then added, “After which you will be sworn in as a minister”. Totally taken aback, Hardeep Puri called his wife, Lakshmi who had just signed an extension to her contract with the United Nations. “But couldn’t you have told me earlier before I signed my contract?” she replied by way of congratulations. To which Puri countered that he himself had just got to know about the ministership. While most of the anecdotes were about his stint in the IFS, Puri soon slipped into his political avatar when he praised the authors of the book on post Covid foreign policy by first quipping that the writers seemed to have decided that Covid was now behind us, and then went on to explain at great lengths, as to how India had successfully managed Covid under Modi’s prime ministership. Well there is an art at being politically correct with diplomatic ease.
Interim ‘extension’ till 2024?
Although a great deal is being made about the Congress inner party elections that are due later this month, one is not quite sure if these will finally see Rahul Gandhi stepping up to the top job. Given Sonia Gandhi’s recent bout of activity and taking active control of the reins once again there is a clamour for her to continue till 2024. For one, she is the one Gandhi that can unite the G23 as well as the others. The allies also have more faith in her leadership skills than either Rahul or Priyanka. The only drawback is her health which will not permit an extensive campaign, and Sonia’s own desire to step back. But given the circumstances, she may have to shelve those plans for another two years.
Is Naresh Patel the Congress’ CM candidate?
A few weeks ago, there was a buzz that the Congress was considering the Patel leader and the man at the forefront of building a grand temple at Khodaldham as its CM face. There were some reports that Naresh Patel had met with Ashok Gehlot along with Prashant Kishor. (The current Gujarat in-charge Raghu Sharma is a Gehlot confidant). However, it now appears that this meeting did not take place but was part of a well calculated buzz—though one is not sure as to whom this exercise was meant to promote, Gehlot, Kishor or Patel. Incidentally, Prashant Kishor has been telling those close to him that while talks are on with the Congress, he is not interested in strategising for Assembly polls. Instead he would rather focus on the 2024 Lok Sabha. So from all accounts, Kishor will not be handling the Gujarat elections for the Congress—and one is also not sure whether Naresh Patel will be the party’s CM face. As is now becoming the norm with the Congress, everything is up in the air till the last minute.
Timing the Broadcast Right
Anurag Thakur, the Information & Broadcasting Minister, has been very active, not just at the Centre but also as the state level. In the middle of the Aam Aadmi Party launching its political campaign in Himachal Pradesh, the party was hit by a spate of resignations that included its state in-charge Anup Kesari joining the BJP along with other local AAP leaders. Both Anurag Thakur and J.P. Nadda were present on the occasion. In fact, sources say it was Anurag who was instrumental in wooing the AAP leaders, down to the timing of the announcement—the night before Arvind Kejriwal’s Tiranga Yatra in the Mandi region. Clearly, Anurag knows that the right timing makes the perfect icing on a political cake, for the AAP leaders joined the BJP in a midnight coup on 8 April. This was also right before the BJP chief J.P. Nadda began his four-day tour of the state. This has since given rise to speculation that Anurag Thakur may be shifted to the state as Chief Minister on the eve of the Assembly polls. But would this be something that the youth leader turned Union Minister is keen on?