Tridib Raman
Whether there are elections or not, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s election machinery is always seen working day and night. The party’s two stalwarts are also adept at election management and strategy. The first phase of elections in Jharkhand has just concluded, and the second and final phase in Jharkhand, along with the Maharashtra Assembly elections, are scheduled for November 20. However, BJP’s election managers have already set up their base in Delhi and Bihar, where elections are due next year. This is why PM Modi often visits Bihar under various pretexts, and JP Nadda follows a similar pattern. In Delhi, the BJP seems to have sounded the election bugle. With over 42% of the voters in Delhi being Purvanchali, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva jumped into the polluted Yamuna river during Chhath Puja to appeal to them, resulting in a skin infection. This act was to highlight that the Yamuna’s water is not clean enough for mothers and sisters to offer prayers to the Sun God. Meanwhile, all seven BJP MPs from Delhi were seen participating in Chhath Puja at various locations. Manoj Tiwari even headed to Manish Sisodia’s constituency, Patparganj, for Chhath Puja. Since the BJP think tank suggested that the Chief Minister of Delhi should be from outside Delhi, Tiwari has been more active in the city. A section of the party wants to field Smriti Irani against Arvind Kejriwal, sensing this new possibility, Smriti has also registered her vote from RK Puram. The RSS, however, believes that only Bansuri Swaraj, with her eloquent speech and oratory skills, can challenge Arvind Kejriwal. Bansuri is also quite popular among women and youth and is an MP from the New Delhi parliamentary seat, which overlaps with Kejriwal’s Assembly seat. Thus, she seems to be a fitting candidate for the battle.
Why Does Manish Sisodia Want to Change His Seat?
Tridib Raman
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has been conducting regular opinion polls in Delhi. However, reports suggest that the results are not entirely favourable. This may be why Manish Sisodia, considered Kejriwal’s second-in-command, is contemplating changing his Patparganj constituency. While Sisodia has been holding padayatras (foot marches) in his current constituency, he is also preparing Jangpura as a backup. Jangpura is considered a “safe seat” for AAP, with significant Sikh and Muslim populations, who are viewed as loyal AAP voters. In the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections, Sisodia narrowly won Patparganj by 3,207 votes against BJP’s Ravindra Singh Negi. Additionally, in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, BJP’s Harsh Malhotra secured 79,044 votes in Patparganj, while AAP’s Kuldeep Kumar managed only 49,845 votes, despite the AAP-Congress alliance. Recognizing the challenges, Sisodia appears to be shifting focus to Jangpura well ahead of time.
Will Nishikant Receive a Big Reward?
Tridib Raman
The BJP leadership may bestow further privileges on Godda MP Dr. Nishikant Dubey in the coming days. Recently, not only has his government security been upgraded, but he has also been allocated a lavish bungalow in New Delhi’s Lutyens’ zone.The bungalow at 7, Safdarjung Road holds historical significance. It was once the residence of BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Later, during Vajpayee’s golden era, it was allocated to his trusted aide Pramod Mahajan, who stayed there until his death. Subsequently, the bungalow saw various occupants until 2014, when it was given to Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi after Narendra Modi became Prime Minister. Since Nishikant Dubey has been allotted this bungalow, there are speculations that he might receive a significant position in the central government soon.
Does BJP Want to Distance Itself from Chandrababu?
Tridib Raman
All is not well between the Modi-led NDA and its key ally, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). A major reason is Chandrababu’s repeated demand that former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy be declared guilty and imprisoned. It is believed that the BJP has kept its channels open with Jagan behind the scenes. Meanwhile, the saffron party is betting on Andhra’s Deputy CM, Pawan Kalyan. It is said that to please the BJP, Pawan’s party, Jana Sena, has formed the ‘Narasimha Varahi Wing’ to protect Sanatan Dharma in Andhra and Telangana, which is giving momentum to the wind of Sanatan nurtured by the Sangh and BJP in both these states. This has led to speculations that the BJP might form a pre-election alliance with Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena in the upcoming 2029 elections.
Why is Nitish Bowing Down So Much?
Tridib Raman
For the third time, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been seen swiftly bowing to touch Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s feet on a public stage. This time, it happened in Darbhanga, where Modi was laying the foundation for the Darbhanga AIIMS and other projects worth ₹12,000 crores. Over the past six months, such instances have become a familiar sight, with Modi lifting Nitish by the shoulders each time. Some suggest Nitish is under immense pressure from the BJP, possibly seeking forgiveness for past actions. Others believe he is eager to secure Modi’s blessing to establish his son Nishant Kumar as his political successor. Nishant has been accompanying Nitish like a shadow during public events. Recently, during a visit to Rewari for the wedding of former Police Commissioner Paramveer Singh’s son, Nishant was also by Nitish’s side. While the reins of Bihar’s JD(U) are currently in the hands of Nitish’s trusted aide Shravan Kumar, it is evident that Shravan is struggling to wholeheartedly accept Nishant as the future leader.
What Will Happen in the Maharashtra Elections?
Tridib Raman
The Maharashtra Assembly elections have taken an interesting turn this time. These elections are particularly intriguing because around 152 small parties and 7,000 independent candidates are participating. And when it comes to the rebels, they have given sleepless nights to almost all the major political parties. Regarding Uddhav Thackeray, it is being said that “his party is contesting more seats than it can handle.” If even a dozen candidates from Ajit Pawar’s faction manage to win, it will be considered a success. The challenge for Eknath Shinde of the Mahayuti alliance is that people are struggling to trust his promises. Although the Shinde-led state government increased the monthly benefit under the ‘Ladki Behen Yojana’ from ₹1,500 to ₹2,100, women are sceptical that the money will actually reach their accounts if the Mahayuti wins. The same scepticism applies to the promise of loan waivers for farmers. Recently, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari made a fresh statement, saying: “It is still uncertain whether subsidies will be paid to investors on time. The government also needs to allocate funds for the ‘Ladki Behen Yojana.’ Textile mills were on the verge of closure due to a lack of subsidies. While subsidies may be available now, there is no certainty about when they will be provided.” Gadkari’s statement clearly indicates that the state is still grappling with a severe financial crisis.
CJI Khanna Opts for Farmhouse Stay
Although the new Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna, has taken charge, he continues to reside at his farmhouse instead of moving to the official residence at 5, Krishna Menon Marg, New Delhi. Sources suggest that due to his short tenure of just six months, he prefers not to shift to the designated government house. It is also reported that retired Chief Justice Chandrachud requested Justice Khanna to allow him to stay at the Krishna Menon residence for a few more days, to which Justice Khanna agreed. Speculations are rife that Justice Chandrachud might be appointed to a significant position soon, possibly as the new Chairman of the Human Rights Commission or another major constitutional post, and thus, he wishes to avoid the hassle of frequent relocations.
