As Bihar assembly election comes closer, political activity in the state is increasing day by day. The RJD has started a “Berozgari Hatao Yatra” in every district of the state and Lalu Yadav has coined a new slogan for his supporters –“Do hazaar bees, hatao Nitish”. Against this catchy phrase, JD(U) has given a counter-slogan –“Do hazaar bees, Phir Se Nitish”. JD(U) organised a show of strength before the assembly polls with a meeting of party workers from across the state at Patna Gandhi Maidan on March 1. In addition, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has once again raised the demand for special category status for Bihar and has discussed the issue with the Union Home Minister Amit Shah. In lieu of the election, the Nitish Kumar government has passed a resolution in the state assembly against the NRC and NPR unanimously. JD(U) called the president and secretary of every booth to the Patna rally and Nitish Kumar formally set the tune of 2020 assembly polls. According to JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar, JD(U) is going to make it a contest between 15 years of Lalu Prasad versus 15 years of Nitish Kumar, with comparative facts and figures on all major indices of development. Meanwhile, RJD is asking the people of Bihar whether they would go with Gandhiji or Godse. On the other hand, Kanhaiya Kumar has completed his Jan Gan Man Yatra to create awareness about CAA, NRC and NPR.
RAHUL BRIGADE RESENTS LEADERSHIP CRISIS AFTER HIS RESIGNATION
In 2004, the sons and the grandsons of Congress leaders came in politics through the Congress party itself, including Sachin Pilot, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Milind Deora, Sandeep Dikshit and Jitin Prasada, and they soon became the part of Rahul Gandhi brigade. In 2009, most were rewarded with either junior ministerial posts or Congress party posts. However, as Rahul Gandhi resigned from the party presidentship, these young leaders have started showing dissatisfaction with the leadership. Shashi Tharoor, who was at one time very close to the Gandhi family, too has supported Sandeep Dikshit’s view that leadership election should be held afresh. Jairam Ramesh called the Congress debacle in Delhi assembly election a coronavirus. Milind Deora is praising AAP victory in Delhi. Jyotiraditya Scindia threatened to take to the streets against the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh. And, last but not the least, Rajasthan’s deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot is in a permanent state of war against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. All these young guns in a rebellious mode shows that the brigade resents Rahul Gandhi’s failure to stick up for them.
THREE RAJYA SABHA SEATS FROM RAJASTHAN NOW UP FOR GRABS
In Rajasthan, the election in three Rajya Sabha seats is going to be held soon, and according to the distribution of assembly seats, the Congress will get two seats in the Upper House and BJP will get one. There are three BJP members who are going to retire. In the last Rajya Sabha election, Vijay Goel from Delhi had got the chance to be elected from Rajasthan. However, this time it seems to be difficult for Goel as he belongs to Delhi and is considered an outsider. The other names that are in the offing happen to be of Narayan Panchariya with RSS background, and Ramnarayan Dudi, who belongs to the Vasundhara Raje Scindia camp. The rumours in BJP say that the party high command may give the Rajya Sabha ticket to Narayan Panchariya. Within Congress, the name of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is favoured by most of the state leaders. For the second seat, it seems that Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot will recommend a backward or Dalit leader’s name to the Congress high command.
OPPOSITION FAILS TO MAKE DELHI VIOLENCE A BIG ISSUE IN PARLIAMENT
Ever since the second half of the Budget session of Parliament began on March 2, the Opposition has not put up a united front on any issue till date. The Opposition, however, had written a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind on February 28 on the issue of communal violence in Delhi, but only DMK, RJD, NCP, Congress and the Left parties were signatories to the letter, while TMC, BSP and SP were missing. The Congress was also missing from a rally organised by CPI leader Kanhaiya Kumar in Patna on February 27 against the new Citizenship law and NRC. It seems that the Opposition parties would not be able to corner the BJP led government on the Delhi communal violence issue in Parliament.
ANTI-NPR/NRC RESOLUTION IN BIHAR A MASTERSTROKE BY NITISH
The passage of NPR-NRC resolution could be another political masterstroke by Nitish Kumar, leaving ally BJP with no choice and robbing opposition parties with the key political point on which they could have mobilised support from those opposing CAA-NRC-NPR, especially the Muslims who constitute 17% of Bihar population. The resolution may cause damage to CPI leader Kanhaiya Kumar’s rally in Patna. After BJP’s successive electoral debacle in Jharkhand and Delhi, and loss of one of its oldest allies in Shiv Sena after the Maharashtra assembly polls, BJP is under pressure to fight the election with JD(U) for a secure win in Bihar. (IPA)
Priti Patel Under Fire For Her Abrasive Manner 