The Narendra Modi-Amit Shah duo has not forgiven Shivraj Singh Chouhan, once propped up by L K Advani and Sushma Swaraj for briefly challenging Modi as an alternative OBC face to lead the BJP in 2014. After the Madhya Pradesh assembly election in December 2018, Shivraj Singh Chouhan had been confident that he could still manage to form the government since the difference between the Congress and BJP was only of five seats. But even before the final results were announced, Modi conceded defeat and rejected Chouhan’s proposal to bring the majority. However, Jyotiraditya Scindia’s revolt from Congress has provided a fresh opportunity for the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, which is backing Chouhan this time, who is also close to RSS. If Shivraj Singh Chouhan returns as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, it signifies that Narendra Modi and Amit Shah have shed their longstanding hostility towards him.
BJP TO APPOINT NEW DELHI STATE UNIT CHIEF SOON
BJP Delhi unit Chief Manoj Tiwari had offered to resign after the party won just eight out of the 70 seats in the recent Assembly election. He was asked to continue till the next chief is appointed. The BJP has begun the process to choose its next state president for which it has sought opinions from MPs, MLAs and other office bearers. The names of the front-runners are Anil Jain, Maheish Girri and Meenakshi Lekhi. According to sources, the BJP high command will soon take the decision.
SAMAJWADI PARTY LEADERS TO EMBARK ON CYCLE YATRA SOON
The Samajwadi Party national executive committee met recently to deliberate on various political issues, including the assembly election to be held in 2022. This is the first national executive meeting after the 2019 Lok Sabha election. The SP has decided to start a Cycle Yatra campaign from March 23, and will hold meeting at every village of Uttar Pradesh as a part of its campaign for 2022 assembly election. As 23rd March is Ram Manohar Lohia’s birth anniversary, so Cycle Yatra will be organised in every village and a 22-point agenda has been made for these meetings. Meanwhile, the SP had put up a banner of former BJP MLA and rape convict Kuldeep Singh Sengar, and former union minister Swami Chinmayanand, who is also facing sexual exploitation allegations. The banner in black background and white font, featuring the names of Chinmayanand and Sengar, said: “These are the culprits of the state, beware of them”. The police hasreportedly taken off the banner at midnight.
CONGRESS, BJP TO LOCK HORNS OVER TWO RAJASTHAN RS SEATS
The BJP sprung a surprise when it fielded two candidates from Rajasthan for the upcoming Rajya Sabha election. This biennial poll for three seats of the upper house from Rajasthan scheduled on March 26 will witness a tough fight between the BJP and the Congress. Although BJP had earlier announced its state unit vice president and former minister Rajendra Gehlot as the sole candidate, but former MP Onkar Singh Lakhawat filed his nomination paper on the last day. On the other hand, Congress has fielded K C Venugopal and Neeraj Dangi as their two candidates. Congress has 107 MLAs in the 200-member house and has the support of Rashtriya Lok Dal and independent MLAs. The ruling Congress could have easily win two Rajya Sabha seats, but after filing two candidates from BJP it seems to be a very tough election. (IPA)
Pakistan Severely Hit By ‘Coronakratch’, But No Lockdown Yet 