BJP’s Jai and Veeru
The distribution of Lok Sabha tickets suggests that there is only one ‘Jodi Number One’ in the BJP’s state unit. The duo set the background for the party’s victory in the state twice. After the assembly election, it seemed they lost their steam in state politics, and a few fair-weather friends began to give them a wide berth. But the way the tickets has been distributed among the party candidates for the Lok Sabha election signifies that both still wield a lot of power in the organisation. Most of the tickets have been given to the supporters of the duo. Now that the supporters of both these leaders have got tickets, those who avoided the duo, thinking that they had not been powerful anymore, look upset. The way both have distributed the tickets hints at their ability to deal with tricky issues. There are discussions that the duo may emerge stronger after the Lok Sabha election.
Anger prevails
There is anger among some politicians after the allotment of tickets. A politician, seeking a ticket for a family member of his, is gnashing his teeth, after the wife of a minister has been fielded from Ratlam -Jhabua. The two sworn political enemies from a Lok Sabha constituency were seeking tickets for their relatives. Now, both are unhappy. A minister of the state cabinet was seeking a ticket for his brother and tried to get it through his friends, but after the allotment of tickets, the minister is unable to understand how everything had gone awry. Likewise, a former minister, seeking a ticket for his son is also angry, for he was assured of it. The person who got the ticket in place of his son startled the former minister. Now, both of them have heaved a sigh of relief that each other’s kin did not get tickets.
Soured relations
A chasm has developed between a senior leader of the Congress and others in the party after a recent episode. Every Congress man respected the leader concerned. He, however, did not get as much respect during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra taken out by Rahul Gandhi as he used to get previously, which was palpable when Rahul was in MP. Similarly, his relationship with a senior leader of the Congress is not anymore as sweet as it was. It was also evident during the Yatra. Both these former chief ministers had hardly spoken to each other. Other leaders of the party are enjoying the sourness between these two old friends. Both of them deprived many Congress leaders of tickets in the assembly election. Now that their relations have gone sour, these leaders are happy. The bitterness between the former chief minister and other leaders of the party was also aparent during the Yatra. Many leaders commented: Only God can help the party in the Lok Sabha election.
Relatives active
Most of the ministers have begun to understand the functioning of their departments after being administered oath of office. They are holding meeting with officers to have a grasp of the style of working of each department. A minister has, however, told the officials of his department that he is in no mood to work till the Lok Sabha election. The minister has not reviewed the working of his department. Except for speaking to a few officers, he kept away from discussing anything with anyone. But the relatives of the minister have swung into action. A close relative of the minister recently met a few officers wishing to know from them how to make sweetener from the department. Similarly, a relative of another minister has also begun to press the officials in his home district for giving him backhanders. Such perkiness of the relatives may trouble the ministers in the coming days.
Happy MoS
A minister of state was scared of her cabinet minister. When she was handed over a department that was functioning under the cabinet minister, she was so edgy that she could not even speak before him. She said because she had heard about the anger of the minister, she was scared of speaking in front of him. Now, she is very happy with the minister, for he has handed over a lot of responsibilities to her and advised her to work independently. The minister of state has also said her boss has been teaching her how to handle day-to-day functioning of the department. The problem with the minister is that many people avoid him for his way of functioning and for his being plainspoken. His relations with many people have embittered because of his frank and candid remarks. Ergo the way the minister is dealing with his junior counterpart has surprised many in the cabinet and outside.
Silent mode
A Congress leader is said to have gone into silence –though he has won the assembly election. The politician has neither made any statement nor displayed any activeness in the public for the past three months. His presence in the House was also infrequent. Few could appreciate the reasons for his maintaining a low-profile. About this legislator, it is said that he is not keen on contesting the Lok Sabha election. He fears lest he should be asked to contest the Lok Sabha election. Besides after the appointment of the new MPCC chief and the Leader of Opposition, he thinks he may not get an important role in the party anymore. For this reason, he has decided to maintain a silence for a while to set his target.
