By Rahil Nora Chopra
SHAPE OF ANTI-BJP FRONT OF REGIONAL PARTIES IS NOT CLEAR YET
In the midst of efforts by opposition parties to build a united front against the BJP for the next Lok Sabha elections in 2024, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said that Third Front is not possible without the Congress. However West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao have been trying to fabricate together an alliance of regional parties while the DMK has made it clear that it is committed to opposing the BJP only in alliance with the Congress. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said that he is carrying on talks with like-minded parties to give “a new direction” to the nation, but asserted that it would be wrong to say now that attempts are being made by regional political outfits to forge an anti-BJP front. The Telangana CM has been journeying across the country to meet opposition leaders and it is being seen as an effort to form a united alliance against the BJP of regional parties excluding the Congress Mamata has sent a letter to the non Congress and non-BJP parties for a meeting but so far, no date has been fixed.
BHUPINDER HOODA MAY REPLACE KUMARI SELJA AS HARYANA PCC CHIEF
The dramatic change in terms of big replacement is on the cards in Haryana Congress as the party is in the process of making organisational changes to form a strong platform for the party considering future assembly polls. Recently, the party leadership from the state met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi and discussed the political situation. According to Congress sources, the current Haryana Pradesh Congress chief Kumari Selja had recently met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and it is reported that she had expressed her desire to step down from her responsibility. According to sources, the party is all set to make change for state Congress chief where former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda is the front runner for the post of party president in the state. Kuldeep Bishnoi is likely to replace Hooda as a Congress legislature Party (CLP) leader in the Haryana assembly. Meanwhile Congress will all set to get one Rajya Sabha seat, where Kumari Selja is likely to be accommodated or she will be made AICC General Secretary incharge of the state.
CONGRESS HIGH COMMAND SHOWING NO INITIATIVE TO SOLVE GUJARAT CRISIS
After the Supreme Court stayed his conviction in a 2015 case, Patidar leader and Gujarat Congress working president Hardik Patel on Wednesday showed his willingness to contest the elections, and accused the Congress of ignoring him. He also raised the question about the Congress delay on taking a call on Khodaldham trust president and powerful Patidar leader Naresh Patel, who is being wooed by all parties in the state, suggesting that it was an insult to the entire community. Hardik warned the Congress that the party had put up a good performance in the 2015 local body and 2017 Assembly polls due to the Patidar agitation. The Congress had won 77 seats in the 182-member House in 2017. “But what happened after that?” Hardik said. “Many in the Congress feel that Hardik was not properly utilised by the party.” He said it might be because people felt threatened by him in the party. Inducted into the Congress by Rahul Gandhi himself, as the celebrated young Patidar face who had led a successful agitation against the Gujarat government before the last elections, and made the working president in 2020, Hardik has earlier too expressed his frustration over not being given a prominent role in the party. According toa senior Congress leader, the party high command is not taking any lesson from Punjab and Uttarakhand assembly election debacle and has no time to solve the issue of party in Gujarat before the coming assembly elections.
FORMER CHIEF MINISTER H D KUMARSWAMY BLASTS BJP REGIME IN KARNATAKA
HD Kumarswamy is fiery when it comes to communal issues raked up by the Sangh Parivar. While his party Janata Dal (Secular) had an understanding with the ruling BJP in the legislative council to push through essential bill, Kumarswamy has never been severely caustic against the Sangh as in recent years. With issues like religious conversion, love Jihad, hijab ban and ban on Muslim vendors at temples, it was Kumarswamy who strongly has intensified his attack against the BJP government in Karnataka and was the loudest among Opposition leaders. The Congress was quite muted in its reaction to the brazen sectarianism. Of the BJP in the state compared to the former Chief Minister of JD(S) government.
BJP PRESIDENT J P NADDA LEADS PARTY IN HIMACHAL BEFORE COMING POLLS
After an overwhelming victory of AAP in recently held Punjab assembly elections and announcing itself in the electoral politics of Himachal Pradesh with a roadshow in Mandi on April 6, the AamAadmi Party will now go to the influential seat of Kangra on April 23 with Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's public rally. AAP's roadshow not only attracted people from across the state to Mandi but also compelled BJP president JP Nadda to undertake the tour in the state. BJP president J P Nadda, who hails from the state, has already launched the party's campaign. Nadda, had played a key role in inducing the AAP's top brass in the state and persuaded them to join BJP. Barely two days after the Mandi roadshow, AAP's HP unit chief AnoopKesari, general secretary (Organisation) Satish Thakur and Una president Iqbal Singh joined the BJP. AAP's state Mahila Morcha chief Mamta Thakur and some office bearers of its women's wing also joined the BJP. A section of party leaders, including some from the central leadership, are of the view that Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has failed to provide inspiring leadership and hasn't been able to win popular support. Nadda, however, said the party has no plans to replace Jai Ram Thakur and that the forthcoming Assembly election would be fought under his captainship guidance and guardianship. (IPA Service)
