Media fear
A BJP minister is living in fear. The situation has come to such a pass that whenever he faces the media, he becomes tense. This is why he avoids interacting with journalists. But the minister was recently required to attend a press conference. He made efforts to keep away from it. But the order of a senior functionary of the organisation forced him to meet the press. Fear was writ large on his face at the meet.
The minister feared lest the scribes should ask him questions about an old case that had raised controversies. After the press conference, the minister heaved a sigh of relief, thinking the journalists had spared him from replying to uncomfortable questions. The controversy that plagues the minister is in the court. He fears lest it should create troubles for him. A senior office-bearer of the organisation says the case has rendered the otherwise jolly minister silent.
Mystery behind visit
The purpose of a trip of a powerful national leader of the BJP to Bhopal is still cloaked in mystery. The visit of the leader, as the party said, was related to a meeting on the issues of tribal people. Besides this meeting, he held talks with different people. He had come to Bhopal a day before the meetings and conferred with some leaders.
He also met the old and new leaders working for the government and the party. His meeting with a former Congress leader who defected to the BJP and a former minister has hogged the limelight in the corridors of power. Now, some people are trying to work out what feedback he had gathered during his stay in the state capital. There are reports that the purpose of his visit was to hold meetings as well as to take feedback, on which the party bosses may take some decisions in the coming days. The party says some decisions were put off until the results of the Bihar assembly elections were out. Now that the Bihar election results have been declared, the people in the corridors of power are waiting for the decisions.
Nursing ambition
Someone has told a minister that he may become the chief minister. Now, he dreams of getting the CM s chair. The minister has the RSS background. Because of the department he is heading, he could often meet many RSS functionaries. The minister is occasionally seen with the senior members of the RSS on the stage at functions organised by the department. Like the present Chief Minister, he is a third-time legislator. The minister also comes from the backward caste. The population of the caste he belongs to is high in the state.
Against this backdrop, his close aides have told him that if there is any political upheaval in the state in the coming days, he may become the chief minister. Those close to the minister have advised him to strengthen his clout in Delhi to keep in touch with the party s central leadership. Before the assembly elections, the minister did not have enough influence in the state. But the situation is such that he nurses the ambition of becoming the chief minister.
Efforts continue
A senior leader of the Congress, who has been in isolation for a long time, is trying to return to the mainstream of the party. The leader held talks with the party s top boss, who was present at a training camp held for the district unit presidents. There are reports that the politician discussed a plan with the top boss to return to power in the state. They also discussed how to work in a state where elections are going to be held. After the discussion, a decision is being taken on the election-bound state he will be sent to. He had already overseen the elections of the state.
So, he may be sent there before the polls. On the other hand, the plans the leader had put up before the party high command were handed over to the state party president. There are reports that the leader told the party s top boss about what to do to return to power. The influence of the leaders has declined in the party. So, he wants to return to the mainstream of the party through his ideas.
Race for rooms
An undeclared race for a room is underway among those who have been appointed to the ruling party s executive body, for they want to work peacefully. But the BJP office lacks in the number of rooms for each office-bearer. The situation is such that the party had to allot one room to two general secretaries.
Similarly, two vice presidents are sitting in one room, which is causing discomfort to both because their supporters enter the room to raise various issues, turning the situation for them into a comedy of the classroom. These officeholders are also approaching the party bosses to allot them rooms to let them work peacefully, but the shortage of rooms has forced senior leaders to keep mum. The classroom comedy, as the people in the corridors call it, will continue until the party builds a big office. Thus, until that happens, the newly elected officeholders will be required to maintain their cool and enjoy the daily persiflage.
Lame horses out!
The grand old party recently organised a ten-day training camp for the newly elected district presidents. The Congress leaders from Delhi came to the state to train them. The party leadership did not allow the MP Congress leaders, however experienced they may have been, to conduct classes for the new recruits. The MPCC leaders were keen on imparting training to the greenhorns, which they thought would keep the upcoming leaders under their control.
Because it did not happen, these leaders were upset. The veterans felt if it continued for a long time, these rookies would be out of their control. Yet, there was an exception. A leader from the state almost forced his counterparts from Delhi to let him conduct a class for the trainees. He got an opportunity to do so through a video conference. When a few members of the party had tried to know the reasons behind keeping the state leaders away from conducting classes, it came to light that the state leaders wanted to put the newly elected district presidents under pressure. The party bosses knew about it. Now, the party leadership wants to win the next assembly elections with the help of the greenhorns. In doing so, the party leadership enraged the old warhorses, who know if they resent, they may get a talking-to from the bosses.
