By Rahil Nora Chopra
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the repeal of MGNREGA by the government was an attempt to remove Mahatma Gandhi’s name from public memory and asserted that his party would strongly raise the issue during Parliament’s upcoming Budget session. The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, also addressed the National MGNREGA Workers’ Convention organised by the Rachnatmak Congress, wherein he described Centre’s new VB-GRAM-G scheme that has replaced UPA-era MGNREGA as a gimmick and an assault on the rights of the poor. Referring to the three farm laws that prompted massive farmers protests and were eventually taken back, Gandhi said that a similar attack is being attempted on the workers. The Congress launched ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’, a 45-day nationwide campaign against the repeal of the UPA-era Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), on January 10.
WITH NITIN NABIN AS NEW BJP PRESIDENT, MODI-SHAH’S GRIP ON PARTY HARDENS
As Nitin Nabin takes over the command of the Bharatiya Janata Party as its newly appointed national president, a reconstitution of the national team is expected in the coming days. While Nabin conducted a meeting of the party’s office-bearers along with the respective heads of its various wings, he also discussed the election strategy of the upcoming assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala Assam and Puducherry. However, Nabin also made a series of organisational appointments, naming party general secretary Vinod Tawde as the election in-charge of the Kerala assembly elections, and Ram Madhav as the in-charge of the Greater Bengaluru civic elections. With every president, a new team of office-bearers is constituted. Nabin’s team is expected to have younger faces. What cannot be denied is the fact that Nabin’s elevation as party president further testifies to the deepening grip of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah on the BJP’s organisational structure.
FACTIONALISM MIRES PUNJAB CONGRESS, ONE YEAR BEFORE ASSEMBLY POLLS
With just a year left for the Assembly elections in Punjab, the factional fight between Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Charanjit Singh Channi and Partap Singh Bajwa has become magnified. Congress central leadership on Thursday strictly warned senior leaders, including former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, against putting forth statements in public, saying indiscipline will not be tolerated. While Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi, General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal and in-charge Bhupesh Baghel conducted a meeting with Punjab leaders like state president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Leader of Opposition in the Vidhan Sabha Partap Singh Bajwa, former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi and other senior leaders. The meeting came days after Channi, a Dalit Sikh, claimed that Jat Sikhs have been dominating the party and Dalits are not given their due, which were countered by Warring, saying that he was made a Chief Minister, MP and a member of Congress Working Committee.
AILING LALU MAY STEP DOWN AS RJD TOP BOSS, GIVE PARTY REINS TO TEJASHWI
Bihar’s political circles are abuzz with speculation over a possible leadership change in the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). With concerns mounting over the continuing ill health of the party’s founder and national president, Lalu Prasad, the patriarch and former Chief Minister of Bihar may decide to step down as the party leader after holding the reins for 28 years. Lalu is likely to appoint Tejashwi Yadav as the new national president of the RJD. The decision is expected to be taken at the RJD’s national executive committee meeting scheduled for January 25. Another section of RJD workers are reportedly of the opinion that the post should be given to Misa Bharti, the eldest of the nine siblings and the current Lok Sabha MP from Pataliputra. Several prominent decisions are likely to be taken, including assigning new responsibilities to senior leaders at the state and national levels. Action against leaders accused of sabotage during the recently held Assembly elections may also come up for discussion. Meanwhile, doctors have suggested Lalu Prasad to rest and avoid stress, due to which he has been able to play only a limited role in active political affairs. In this situation, party leaders believe the appointment of a working president has become necessary to ensure the smooth functioning of the organisation. (IPA Service)
