Tridib Raman
Today, the soul of independent India is bathed in the fragrance of the 76th Republic Day, and this is not the right time to discuss the system overshadowing the republic. However, as the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, openly raises issues concerning marginalized communities, especially Dalits, the RSS, which pretends to keep the saffron party safe under its Banyan-like shade, has informed the BJP’s top leadership about its fresh concerns. According to sources, the RSS has conveyed to the BJP leadership that “if the saffron party truly wants to secure Dalit votes, they must provide more space to Dalits in the current electoral politics.” As claimed by a senior thinker of the RSS: “The BJP does talk about Dalit interests and their concerns, but whenever there is a need to bring a Dalit face forward, leaders of alliance parties, such as Chirag Paswan, Jitan Ram Manjhi, or Ramdas Athawale, take over the spotlight. As a result, the BJP’s dependency on its coalition partners continues.” If one believes the trusted sources associated with the RSS, the organization recently submitted a list of about 30 promising Dalit leaders to the BJP leadership. It is said that most of the leaders in this list belong to the Valmiki, Kahar, or Kol castes. The RSS wants the BJP to make these Dalit leaders a part of its electoral politics, give them opportunities to contest elections, and ensure their participation in governance.The RSS has assessed that although Dalit leaders are given considerable representation within the BJP’s organizational structure, they fail to exert significant influence in electoral and power politics.Hence, the RSS has provided the BJP with key strategies to attract Dalit voters. These include:The party must give election tickets to as many Dalits as possible.The Dalit leaders of NDA’s allied parties, who shine like comets in Indian politics, should be integrated into the BJP by merging these smaller parties, and these leaders should be projected as the party’s face.By following these suggestions, the RSS believes that the BJP can better secure Dalit votes and reduce its reliance on coalition partners.
What is Sharad Pawar’s real concern?
Tridib Raman
Maratha leader Sharad Pawar is also known for his good relations with the media. When he is in Delhi, he often invites some special journalists to lunch, dinner, or tea at his home and has informal conversations with them for hours. Most of his time is spent in Mumbai, so this lunch-dinner series continues there as well. Recently, at his residence in Mumbai, he invited some selected journalists and expressed a special concern. Pawar said, “Let’s accept the argument of that heavyweight BJP leader that in this recent Maharashtra Assembly election, Dalits, Marathas, and backward classes did not vote for us, which is why we lost so badly. Okay, let’s accept it if they are claiming so. But today, I will talk only about 2400 booths, where 90 to 95 percent of the voters are Muslims. If you look at the history of the last 6 elections at these booths, the BJP and Shiv Sena never got more than 5-10 percent votes. But I am surprised that in the last election, the BJP got 30-35 percent votes at these 2400 booths. I just want to know how this miracle happened. Even in the BJP’s view, these were their ‘D category’ booths, so how did the party manage to increase its vote share by 30 percent? And where did our own cadre votes go? I just want to know this.”
Nirmala Sitharaman in the race for BJP President
Tridib Raman
Despite all its efforts, the BJP is not able to perform as desired in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, and intense brainstorming sessions are ongoing within the party regarding this. On the recommendation of the party’s organization general secretary B.L. Santosh, the BJP handed over the reins of the party in Tamil Nadu to a former police officer, Anna Malai, who had assured the party that he would write a new narrative of the BJP’s rise in Tamil Nadu. On his recommendation, the party spent money like water, and central leaders kept visiting there. The saffron cadre also worked hard, but the results were disappointing. The BJP could not make its mark in Tamil Nadu. After the election results, Anna Malai even applied to go abroad for a course. Now, most Tamil Nadu BJP leaders want a president who is as popular outside the state as well. In this context, the name of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has emerged prominently. However, the party’s number two, Amit Shah, wants to work on an even bigger theory. He wants Nirmala to be made the new national president of the party in place of J.P. Nadda. This would not only increase the BJP’s graph in Tamil Nadu and other southern Indian states but also have a positive impact on women voters across the country. Additionally, Nirmala would also earn the distinction of being the BJP’s first female president. On the other hand, sources suggest that the RSS is still rooting for former pracharak Manohar Lal Khattar for the top post. This preference for Khattar aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s potential inclinations as well.
How RSS Secured a Direct Line into Maharashtra’s Government
Tridib Raman
It is well-known and widely acknowledged that the RSS cadre played a crucial role in helping the BJP secure 132 seats in the recent Maharashtra Assembly elections. This figure of 132 is particularly remarkable because the BJP had fielded candidates in only 147 constituencies. Recognizing this significant contribution, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has devised a unique way to reward the RSS cadre for their efforts. According to the Chief Minister, “To ensure better coordination with the RSS and foster a sense of belonging among RSS workers in the Maha-Yuti (Grand Alliance) government, each of the BJP’s 19 ministers will have an RSS-nominated personal assistant.” This individual will address issues related to both the party and the RSS. This special assistant will be distinct from the ministers’ other personal aides. As per a recent notification issued by the state government’s administrative department, ministers are permitted to have three Officers on Special Duty (OSDs) who will be government employees. Additionally, ministers can now appoint three personal assistants, two of whom are not required to be government employees. The RSS-nominated assistant will serve as the minister’s PA, entitled to government facilities and a government salary. Moreover, senior BJP leader Sudhir Deulgaonkar has been appointed as the Chief Coordinator to act as a bridge between the RSS and the Fadnavis government. It is noteworthy that during Eknath Shinde’s tenure as Chief Minister, while Shinde’s party workers had unrestricted access to the state secretariat, RSS workers were officially barred from entering the ministry. Clearly, the RSS has learned valuable lessons from its past experiences. As the saying goes, “Once bitten, twice shy.” This time, the RSS has ensured its presence and influence in the government is well-secured and formally recognized.
When will Delhi’s Master Plan be ready?
Tridib Raman
It seems that Delhi’s master plan has once again been put on hold. Now, the election results in Delhi will determine when this master plan will be implemented. At one point, it seemed that the ‘Delhi Master Plan 2041’ was at the top of the agenda of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. This plan included key issues such as urban planning, rehabilitation of slum areas, and regularization of unauthorized colonies. According to sources, the DDA wanted to notify it before the announcement of the Delhi Assembly elections on January 4. However, when the DDA sent the file for approval to the Ministry of Urban Affairs, the response was, ‘The Home Ministry and the PMO have not yet given the green light.’ So, the matter was put on hold. It seems that if the BJP forms the government in Delhi, the notification may be issued quickly. If not, the fate of Delhiites may remain uncertain. However, the way a prominent industrial group’s realty company is buying land around the proposed smart city, it seems that the master plan will eventually be implemented.
Maha Kumbh’s Most Devoted Minister
Tridib Raman
If there were a general knowledge question on which minister took the most dips during this year’s Maha Kumbh, the unanimous answer would be: Nand Gopal Nandi, a prominent minister in the Yogi government and MLA from Prayagraj. Whenever any VIP leader visits the Maha Kumbh for a holy dip, Nandi ensures he joins them. Be it Rajnath Singh, Ram Nath Kovind, Kumar Vishwas, or former mayor Abhilasha Gupta, or any other minister from Yogi’s cabinet, Nandi has made it a point to seize every opportunity to dive into the sacred waters with them.And this streak of dips isn’t ending anytime soon—it’s set to continue until February 26 !
BJP Yet to Recover from Jharkhand Election Defeat
The BJP is still reeling from the pain of its loss in the Jharkhand Assembly elections. The party is continuously analyzing the reasons behind its defeat. The most recent report on the matter has been submitted by BJP leader and former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi to the party’s top leadership.The report states, “We lost the elections primarily because of the internal sabotage by three of our current MPs.” Notably, one of these MPs is reportedly a favorite of Delhi’s central leadership.
