By Tridib Raman
The Congress leadership has made a significant decision regarding Uttar Pradesh. All the committees of the UP Congress have been dissolved, with plans to form new committees in preparation for the 2027 UP assembly elections. However, UP state president Ajay Rai has been given a reprieve for now. It is speculated that a decision on Ajay Rai’s replacement will be made soon. Sources within the Congress reveal that KL Sharma, a highly trusted associate of the Gandhi family and MP from Amethi, may be appointed as the new head of the UP Congress. Kishori Lal Sharma has been managing the affairs of Amethi for the Gandhi family since 1984-85, giving him a deep understanding of the UP Congress. Additionally, he has established an office on Mahadev Road in New Delhi, where UP Congress complainants frequently visit. Sharma works to convey their issues to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul, and Priyanka Gandhi. The Congress has been out of power in UP for almost 35 years, leading to a weakened grassroots organization. The recent decision by the Congress President has affected about 15,000 officials across state divisions, districts, cities, blocks, and 46 related departments. Sources suggest that the catalyst for this decision was Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Sambhal Chalo’ Yatra, where all UP officials were asked to gather at the Ghazipur border. However, when Rahul and Priyanka arrived, only a small number of Congress officials were present. Ajay Rai was blamed for this, as it was felt that his focus on Varanasi and Purvanchal hindered the infusion of new energy among party workers across the state.
Noida Farmers Have Different Set of Demands
By Tridib Raman
The farmers’ movement is once again causing problems for the central government. However, the demands of the farmers in Noida-Greater Noida differ from those of the farmers in Haryana-Punjab. The farmers in Noida-Greater Noida are concerned about how they can demand Minimum Support Price (MSP) when they no longer have land for farming. Ten farmer organizations have launched a protest against the Noida Authority, Greater Noida Authority, and Yamuna Development Authority. Their primary demand is that affected farmers should receive 10 percent plots and 64.7 percent increased compensation under the old land acquisition law. They also demand four times the market rate compensation and 20 percent plots for land acquired by the government after January 1, 2014. Additionally, they seek employment and rehabilitation benefits for the children of all landholders and landless farmers. These farmers have more grievances against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath than his officers, who they accuse of providing incorrect information, resorting to lathi-charges, and making arrests.
What Will Shinde Do Next?
By Tridib Raman
The new Mahayuti government has been formed in Maharashtra with much fanfare. Since taking the oath as Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis has been seen in a changed avatar. He has called old leaders from the Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar’s parties, stating, “Our political commitments may differ, but our association is old. So, if you have any work, feel free to call me directly.” This indicates that Fadnavis wants to keep the possibilities of leaders coming and going open. On the other hand, former Chief Minister and current Deputy CM Eknath Shinde is still restless and feeling helpless. He met Amit Shah in Delhi and pleaded, “Even if it’s for six months, please let me take the oath as CM once again,” but his request was not fulfilled. He then agreed to become Deputy CM in the hope of getting the Home Ministry, but Fadnavis thwarted his plans by saying that the state’s Home Minister must coordinate with the Union Home Minister at all times, and his (Fadnavis’) relationship with Amit Shah is much better. In reality, Shah’s relationship with Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar is much better than with Fadnavis. Now, Shinde’s biggest challenge is to keep his MLAs united, as the BJP is only eight seats short of a majority on its own, and Ajit Pawar is easily bridging this gap. Previously, when Shinde was in charge of the state in the Mahayuti government, he prioritized his MLAs over BJP MLAs in fund allocation. Perhaps now the BJP intends to follow the same path. Shinde’s MLAs will remain united with him as long as they enjoy the fruits of power; otherwise, they might consider returning to their old party. The BJP is known for its expertise in this game, and Shinde cannot hide from this truth. Even during the swearing-in ceremony, Shinde’s chair was placed next to Devendra Fadnavis’s chair, but he did not sit there and went away, signaling his intentions to Fadnavis.
How Many BJP CMs Will Be Changed?
By Tridib Raman
The BJP’s top leadership is reportedly unhappy with three of its Chief Ministers in the Hindi belt. These three Chief Ministers are Pushkar Singh Dhami of Uttarakhand, Bhajan Lal Sharma of Rajasthan, and Mohan Yadav of Madhya Pradesh. Dhami, being the most astute, immediately started his damage control campaign upon sensing the high command’s intentions. The high command wanted to replace him with Trivendra Singh Rawat, but Dhami had his close associates open a front against Rawat. The most active in this matter was Khanpur MLA Umesh Kumar, who questioned Rawat’s role in providing security to the infamous Gupta brothers of South Africa. It is said that Dhami has managed to save his chair for now. Meanwhile, Mohan Yadav is facing challenges from his senior colleagues in Madhya Pradesh. Recently, Yadav got a proposal for the approval of three roads worth ₹2,312 crores in Ujjain passed in the cabinet. Kailash Vijayvargiya raised a ruckus, asking, “Will all the roads be built in Ujjain? Are there no other districts in the state?” It should be noted that Ujjain is Mohan Yadav’s home district. Rural Development Minister Prahlad Patel also questioned the Chief Minister directly about the high estimated cost of these roads. Vijayvargiya argued that the proposed roads in Ujjain should be constructed using the Simhastha Fund, and the central government should be approached for this. In Rajasthan, Bhajan Lal Sharma is also facing similar issues, being targeted by his own party members.
DK’s Influence in Jharkhand
The appointment of Shilpi Neha Tirkey as a minister in the newly formed Jharkhand government from the Congress quota has surprised many Congress members, as her name was not even in the race for the ministerial position. Shilpi’s father, Bandhu Tirkey, is considered one of the prominent leaders in the state. Shilpi’s political journey began when her father, Bandhu Tirkey, faced a case of disproportionate assets and was disqualified in a money laundering case in 2022. During the subsequent by-election, Shilpi contested from her father’s traditional Mandar seat for the first time on Congress ticket and emerged victorious. Shilpi completed her education at Christ College in Bengaluru, where she earned a BBA degree. In the 2024 elections, the Congress fielded her again from the Mandar seat, and she succeeded in winning. Interestingly, Shilpi’s father, Bandhu Tirkey, is an old friend of Karnataka’s Deputy CM DK Shivakumar. It is believed that due to DK Shivakumar’s recommendation, Shilpi was appointed as the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Cooperation in the current Soren government.
Strains in SP-Congress Alliance
The budding alliance between the Samajwadi Party and Congress is already showing signs of strain. In the recent elections, the SP-Congress announced their partnership with the slogan ‘UP Ko Yeh Saath Pasand Hai’ (UP likes this alliance). However, their priorities in Parliament seem to differ. Rahul Gandhi wants to prominently raise the Adani issue in the House, while, if sources are to be believed, Akhilesh wanted to distance himself from Adani because a female journalist facilitated a settlement between Adani and Akhilesh. Rahul is adamant about addressing the issue directly, and despite being stopped at the Ghazipur border with Priyanka, he managed to convey to Muslims that Congress is their biggest ally. This stance is not sitting well with Akhilesh.
