After Sachin Pilot’s move to dislodge the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan failed, the young Congress dynast has no option left but to join the BJP. In case he harboured any plans to float his own party, then he must know that in the competitive theatre of Rajasthan state politics, there is no place for a third party. There has always been a two-party system in the dry northwestern state. Moreover, while Pilot can bring Gujjars into his party, yet it must be kept in mind that as a community, Gujjars have sided mostly with the BJP, if the last election results are an indicator. Pilothasn’t been promised the Chief Minister’s post by the BJP either, much like the lukewarm response received by Jyotiraditya Scindia who staged an exit from the Congress to join the BJP earlier this year. As long as Vasundhra Raje Scindia and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat have a strong grip in the state BJP, .Sachin Pilot has no future in the saffron party. However, given his limited options, joining BJP seems to be the proximate way forward.
RAGHAV CHADHA’S RISE IN AAP IRKS MORE EXPERIENCED MEMBERS
The Aam Aadmi party leader and member of the legislative assembly, Raghav Chadha, was snubbed by a former media advisor of the party and the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Chadha wears several hats, including that of the chairman of the Delhi Assembly’s Peace and Harmony Committee, a panel that investigates complaints of hate speech online and attempts to take violators to task. On Wednesday, Chadha chaired a meeting after the committee received complaints from members of Sikh and Jat communities against the remarks made by the Tripura Chief Minister Biplap Deb, who implied that Jats and Sikhs were less intelligent than Bengalis. Senior AAP leaders Kailash Gahlot and Jarnail Singh also condemned the “regressive statement” and demanded Deb’s immediate resignation. They also demanded an apology from the BJP over the comments. Although Deb tendered an apology on Tuesday, the former Kejriwal aide Nagendra Sharma, now the conscience keeper of the party’s Twitter ecosystem, dismissed the assembly committee investigation ona matter which took place in another state. He tweeted that the Committee: “It has no jurisdiction….waste of time… Concentrate on Delhi issues. (sic)”. The party’s media manager ignored Sharma’s remark, which was reflective of a growing resentment towards the AAP over the rise of Raghav Chadha at the cost of more experienced MLAs in the party.
PICKING A JAT AS HARYANA BJP CHIEF ANNOYS GURJARS
After the appointment of Om Prakash Dhankar as BJP chief in Haryana, the Gurjars of Haryana are unhappy with the decision of the saffron party’s high command. Previously, the name of MP and state minister in the center, Krishan Pal Gurjar, was decided for the state chief’s post. However, under the pressure from Jats who are annoyed at having a non-Jat Chief Minister in Haryana, the BJP high command decided the name of Dhankar, a Jat leader, in place of Krishna Pal Gurjar. According to political observers, the annoyance of the Gurjar community will impact not only in Haryana but also in neighbouring states like UP, Delhi and Rajasthan. In addition, it might also affect the coming assembly by-elections in Madhya Pradesh where Gurjars are in majority in the Gwalior-Chambal region.
CONGRESS PUTS UP UNITED FRONT AGAINST BJP IN RAJASTHAN
After deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot’s exit from the Rajasthan Cabinet due to his shaking of hand with BJP, the united Congress units of Rajasthan held a demonstration against the BJP across the state. In Jaipur, transport minister Pratap Singh Khachariya was led the protest at youth Congress office, where Vaibhav Gehlot, the chief minister’s son, made a rare appearance at the political event. Gehlot junior accused the BJP for trying to repeat in Rajasthan what the saffron party did in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. Vaibhav called Rajasthan governor’s refusal to call the assembly session as another blow to democracy.
CHHATTISGARH LOOKS TO IMPOSE TOTAL LIQUOR BAN
While the UP government decided to open liquor shops in malls in the state, in complete contrast, theChhattisgarh government would be working to enforce complete prohibition of liquor in the state. In response to BJP general secretary Saroj Pandey’s rakhi and demand to honour his pre-poll promises as a raksha bandhan gift, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel said: “Sister Saroj Pandey today your brother Bhupesh is promising that there will be complete prohibition in Chhattisgarh. We are in the process of preparing for it.” (IPA)