Minister’s tricks fail
A minister’s trickery to make money through underhand dealings has failed. The department the minister looks after has dealt with suppliers. The minister had already cut a deal with some suppliers and taken some carrots in advance from them for allotting them the task. They also began to prepare for the work. Because of the delay in floating tenders, the higher-ups changed their mind. The government initially wanted to do the work through suppliers, but now, it decided to make the payments directly to the accounts of beneficiaries. The minister tried to convince the government to do the work through suppliers instead of directly transferring payments to the beneficiaries. But the authorities did not allow it. A similar thing happened to the minister in a previous case in which he wanted to supply an item, but the government decided to transfer payments through bank accounts. Now, the minister has begun to dig up new ways with the help of officers to make money.
Time for objections
The government has issued the draft Bhopal Master Plan. The time limit for raising objections and claims has also started together with the issuance of the draft master plan. Congress leaders have begun to object to the draft, but the BJP leaders appear no less active than their Congress counterparts. A legislator and an MP of the ruling party have become active in raising objections. The legislator remained opposed to releasing the draft master plan. He wanted the government to find out other ways to provide relief to traders instead of releasing the master plan. Now, the legislator has started telling everyone that the Congress government had actually conceptualised the present master plan. On the grounds of the MLA’s opposition to the master plan, his supporters have rolled up their sleeves to raise objections to it. They discuss the issue with experts. The legislator wants to create so much din over the master plan that it forces the government to cancel it. People in the corridors of power say once the master plan comes into existence, it may have an impact on the taxes of legislators. As a result, the number of people visiting the legislators for any work will decrease.
Supporters’ wishes
The supporters of a female minister of the state recently celebrated her birthday with enthusiasm. They put up posters and hoardings in different parts of the city. Her fans had prepared for the occasion a week before. The people of her constituency took responsibility for the occasion. The party men organised a birthday bash at her bungalow. Most of her fans said if God wished, they would celebrate her next birthday at a bigger bungalow. The supporters’ remarks indicate that the minister yearns for a more important chair. A few days ago, people in the corridors of power whispered about her promotion. A former minister’s comments at the BJP’s state executive committee meeting had stirred up the discussion about what her supporters said. Afterwards, her supporters have started saying if there happens to be any political upheaval in the state, the female minister stands as the frontrunner for the top job. However favourable such statements may appear, they turn out to be damaging in politics.
Gathering info
The BJP has included another leader in its state team. The leader has arrived in the state after visiting different regions of the country. With his entry into the state unit, the BJP leaders have plunged into action in two different ways. First, they have begun to take feedback about him from the states where he had been in charge. The MP BJP leaders have started calling up their friends in those states seeking information about what kind of person he is. They intend to make their strategies according to his nature. The leader’s place of work remained a state near Madhya Pradesh. Against this backdrop, they also search for his relatives to take feedback on him. Second, a few others have begun to gather information about his relatives and their profession. Still a few leaders, having some links with the district where he was born, have become active to gather information about him. Such leaders lay emphasis on the fact that they belong to the same district as the leader.
In trouble
Many contractors and suppliers find themselves in trouble. Two leaders have left the state. One of them has got the responsibility for the party unit in another state. But the other politician remains sidelined. People in the corridors of power say a few suppliers had obtained contracts through these politicians. A few aides of one of the leaders got contracts through his influence. A relative of the leader and some of his close aides have done the liaising work in the state. Because the leader has left Madhya Pradesh, the influence of these people will diminish. In this situation, the thought of how they will function in the state and how they will get payment in the coming days has upset them. They remain associated with various departments and know when a particular leader stays out of power; the officers, too, turn their back. Against this backdrop, it will be barely easy for them to recover payments. For this reason, they have begun to search for new power equations in the administration.
Lack of equations
People spin various yarns about a prominent Congress leader. He has a soft corner for the head of state and may switch over to the BJP before the next assembly elections. There had been talks about his joining the BJP, but he may defect to the ruling dispensation this time. The Congress has also sidelined him. The party has not allotted him any assignment for a long time. Now, he weighs the opportunity cost of joining the BJP and whether the BJP will form the next government, and if it does, whether the present head of state will remain in office or not. He will make a decision on joining the BJP after weighing up the facts and their outcome.
