Madhya Pradesh Political Punch: Minister In A Bind, Baba Draws Flak, Locked-Room Scenario, & More

Minister in a bind

The difficulties of a minister in the state cabinet have increased because of his female friend, who released a video, stirring up a storm against him. The minister somehow managed to get the woman to release another video to remain out of the mess. Nevertheless, the minister’s efforts to sweep the issue under the rug fell through when, in the second video, the woman confirmed the accuracy of the old clip against the minister. She has so far released four videos which have reportedly sent the minister into a tizzy. The number of his adversaries shot up after he became a minister. Since the videos were out, the minister’s detractors have begun to create an atmosphere against him in Delhi. Such issues hardly matter for the people of the community the minister comes from. On the contrary, the videos have tarnished his image in the party. People in the corridors of power say, other than some old issues, the recent videos may cost him his cabinet berth.

Off the grid

A minister of the state cabinet remains off the grid these days. The department the minister heads organises one event or another. The head of state also remains active in the department headed by the minister because it plays an important role for the government as well as for the BJP. In contrast, the minister remains absent from the events. The minister skipped a visit to the district, which he serves as its in-charge of. His absence from any place has stoked discussions in the corridors of power. The minister has remained enigmatic for the past three years. He takes little interest in reviewing the department’s functioning or in any work related to the government. Fewer people have the permission to enter his bungalow. However high-ranking a BJP leader arriving in the city may be, the minister hardly bothers to meet him. What is more, he held fewer meetings with the head of state than any of his cabinet colleagues did in the past three years.

Baba draws flak

Two statements of a self-proclaimed young godman from the Bundelkhand region over Hindu gods have ignited debate across the state. Soon after the statements, as everyone has begun to tear into the godman, he finds himself in a pickle. Although the public was critical of the Baba's statements, both national political parties zipped their lips. Both parties remain calm, for many of their leaders stay close to the godman. In contrast, several politicians from Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and other places across the country took umbrage at the self-styled godman’s remark. They even demanded the head of state demolish his ashram. More importantly, the godman has disciples the country and abroad. Baba's statements have remained a hot-button issue. The statements of the godman, however, remind people of the bard of Avon, who advised men to be a king of their silence rather than a slave of their words.

Uneasy praise

A powerful minister has recently heaped praises on a senior IAS officer at a function in the presence of the head of state. The praise, however, makes the officer uneasy. Now, he tries to understand whether the minister’s praise was a backhanded compliment or if it was for real, yielding fruits for him in the future. Or, it was like a hangman saying to a prisoner, 'You have a pretty neck!' The officer’s attempt to twig the significance of the minister’s praise has sent him into a downward spiral. The IAS officer recently went to fame after releasing a video that blew the lid off corruption in local bodies. The video went viral. And the minister’s praise came on the heels of the exposure of corruption. The minister knows how to use syrupy words and cut a person to size he remains averse to, but he lingers in the shadows. A while ago, he sniped at a BJP leader at a function. His remark set off debates. The minister's utterances consist of wit, humour, and sarcasm. His way of talking scares many of his colleagues in the cabinet and in the bureaucracy. The senior officer acts no differently.

Divided we fall…!

A senior Congress leader, also a former chief minister, has launched a Padyatra, which has invited censure from the party bosses. The party high command reportedly rebuked him for launching such a solo Yatra at a time when the Congress strives to put up a united fight against the ruling dispensation. Because the party bosses believe the political canvas has started fracturing for the ruling party, they have begun to organise demonstrations against it in states and in the national capital. Against this backdrop, the Congress leaders view the Padyatra as an effort to divert the people’s attention from the core issues raised by the party. What is more, the leadership counts the march as an effort to refurbish the former chief minister’s image. Such an attempt remains against the party’s agenda. The high command has a message: this juncture warrants caution against walking alone.

Locked-room scenario

The maxim, a friend in need is a friend indeed, aptly portrays the relationship between the ruling party and the opposition in Madhya Pradesh. Both dissolve their historical friction when they require each other’s help. Such an incident recently took place. The opposition asked the ruling party to tweet about a locked room in its office. The tweet carries less weight in the story. Nevertheless, the yarn takes a spin as it reaches the locked doors of the room that has incited rancour in the opposition camp. The party allotted the room to a leader, handling its communication wing. Though he maintains a minimal physical presence in the office, the room remains reserved for him. So, it stays locked. At a time when the party office lacks space to offer to its leaders and workers, a locked room has turned out to be a luxury. And it did not go down well with the partymen who resented reserving a room for a leader who stays away from the party office. Nobody, however, knows whether the ruling party really tweeted to help its rival or not. It also remains a matter of conjecture if the ruling party had tweeted what its impact might have been. But the locked-room scenario forces internal politics in the opposition camp into the open.