With the demise of master strategist Ahmed Patel, the Congress does not have even a single leader who can mediate with the allied parties or regional satraps effectively. The Congress high command is searching for a leader who can seek feedback from workers at the grassroots level and pass it on to the high command; also, can coordinate with regional political outfits and allied parties as well as counsel the party president on matters grabbing national headlines. According to political observers, if Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is appointed as the political secretary to Sonia Gandhi, she might be able to bridge the gap.
RAJINIKANTH’S SET-TO-LAUNCH POLITICAL PARTY IS THE NEW BUZZ IN TOWN
Amit Shah has encouraged Rajinikanth to launch a new political party, which will work with BJP in future. Now Rajinikanth is set to launch that and soon. The actor-turned-politician does not want to lose the opportunity of testing his popularity beyond Tamil Nadu. Born in a Marathi-speaking family as Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, raised and having worked in Kannada-speaking Bangalore, before making it big in Chennai, Rajinikanth would certainly aim to cash in on his popularity in Karnataka as well. His recent visit to Bangalore to meet his elder brother created quite the buzz.
WILL NCP CHIEF SHARAD PAWAR BE CROWNED THE NEW PRESIDENT OF UPA?
On a day Sharad Pawar turned 80, his party colleagues and some leaders of his new allies have shown their interest in making Sharad Pawar the chairperson of UPA. According to political observers, because of internal fighting within the Congress that former Union minister and Congress leader Sushil Kumar Shinde is advocating in favour of the NCP chief Sharad Pawar for the post of UPA Chairperson, thus giving out surprising signal. Although Shinde is the first Congress leader to support Pawar’s name for this post, many of the Congress leaders who had written a letter of dissent to Sonia Gandhi, too, are supporting Pawar. These Congress leaders are working hard to mobilise support in favour of Pawar before the coming session of AICC.
FARMERS’ MOVEMENT RATTLES HARYANA, KHATTAR MEETS TOP COPS
After the swift rise in participation from Haryana in the on-going farmers protest at Delhi borders, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar called an unprecedented meeting of state offices — including Divisional Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, Inspector General of Police and superintendents of police on December 17 to deal with the farmers. According to farmers union, the number of farmers of Haryana is almost 40 per cent of the total farmers at Singhu border and about 50 per cent of the total at Tikri border is from Haryana. Meanwhile, the farmer leaders have announced that those who did not go to Delhi border in support of the mass agitation against the agri bills, will be dubbed ‘traitors’ in Haryana.
BJP, CONGRESS BACK INDEPENDENTS IN RAJASTHAN LOCAL BODY POLLS
After Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot’s allegation that the BJP was conspiring to topple his government once again, both the national parties backed independents instead of the candidates backed by their state allies for the post of local bodies heads. In the recently held elections BTP backed independents won 13 out of 27 seats in the Dungarpur zila Parishad, while the BJP and Congress won 8 and 6 seats respectively. BTP needs one vote to elect as district board head but BJP and Congress supported the other independent candidate for zila pramukh post. Earlier, BTP had supported the Ashok Gehlot government when it faced crisis. In the same way, BJP and Congress again supported an independent candidate Seema Chaudhary against the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) supported candidate in the Nagaur Panchayat Samiti. According to RLP chief and MP from Nagaur, Hanuman Beniwal blamed BJP for conspiring to defeat the RLP candidate in the election. (IPA Service)
Female Dissenters: New Faces Of Global Courage And Resistance 