By Rahil Nora Chopra
Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the race for prime ministerial candidate from the combined Opposition will most likely include the names of Sharad Pawar, Nitish Kumar and Mamata Banerjee. But after the remarkable response of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, the former Congress president has emerged as an equally strong candidate for the prime ministerial post from the Opposition camp. However, such an important decision can be taken only after the assembly elections of Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh are through, and the opposition unity comes actually in shape. The Congress is already in an effective alliance with other parties in Maharashtra, Bihar, and Tamil Nadu. The alliance in Bihar has in it parties with diverse ideologies, from the left to the right. The state BJP could not find any strong and powerful ally and is completely isolated. The same is true for Maharashtra. Here’s the ferocious right wing, the Shiv Sena, is a partner of the Congress, along with the NCP. Even after a major split in the Shiv Sena, this is a strong alliance. While it is clear that Rahul Gandhi is addressing the vital issue of consolidating opposition unity before 2024, but he has to put in more efforts and devise effective strategy to achieve this goal.
NADDA’S BASTAR VISIT WON’T DENTCHHATTISGARH CM BAGHEL’S POPULARITY
Ahead of assembly elections in Chhattisgarh and with an eye on tribal votes, the BJP national president JP Nadda will be going to Bastar district on February 11 to hold a rally in the tribal-dominated region. BJP is leaving no stone unturned in a bid to win the confidence of the tribal people. With 12 seats in the district, Bastar plays a vital role in the formulation of the government in Chhattisgarh, and these seats remain a top priority for the BJP. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel is at his best to work with a focused strategy of cultivating pride in Chhattisgarh’s regional identity, promoting welfare measures for rural people and taking on the BJP aggressively to ensure that his government is returned to power. However, Aam Aadmi Party, which made some noise initially, does not seem to be doing well, while the Janata Congress is in tatters and does not seem to have any guide or planning holder after the demise of its popular founder Ajit Jogi.
KUSHWAHA, CM NITISH KUMAR RIFT OVER TEJASHWI CONTINUES
The rift between JD(U) leader Upendra Kushwaha and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has become wider. Earlier, JD(U) had asked its dissatisfied leader Upendra Kushwaha to put resignation from the party, if even an iota of political morality was left with him. Kushwaha has said that the party should project someone from within its fold as the face for the 2025 Bihar assembly elections, instead of deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, who is from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Kushwaha has also called a meeting of party workers in Patna on February 19-20. He said the JD-U is a party formed by late Sharad Yadav and not Nitish Kumar, who had formed the Samata Party.
ALL EYES ON AICC’S 85TH PLENARY AT RAIPUR TOFORMULATE 2024 STRATEGY
AICC has decided that the 85th plenary session of the Indian National Congress would be held on 24-26 of February in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Almost all big party leaders from across the country will participate in the three-day mega conclave. The discussion will mostly focus on the issues of price rise, unemployment, Indo-China relations, strategy for 2024 Lok Sabha polls and pre and post poll alliances, where all Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) delegates would authorise the presidentship of Mallikarjun Kharge. The Congress has formulated an organising committee for this three-day 85th plenary session, with treasurer Pawan Bansal as its chairman, and the three party chief ministers as special invitees. Congress also constituted a reception committee headed by Chhattisgarh Congress chief Mohan Markam, with state Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel as its co-chairman. All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Tariq Anwar has been appointed as the convener of the organising committee.
BHOPAL HOARDINGS PROJECT KAMAL NATH, BUT MP CONGRESS IS DIVIDED
Ahead of Madhya Pradesh assembly elections, hoardings and posters reading ‘Naya Saal Nayi Sarkar’ (New Year, New Government) and ‘Bhavi Mukyamantri’ Kamal Nath (Future CM Kamal Nath) were put up by Congress workers across the city of Bhopal. However, just a month later, former MPCC president Arun Yadav, has questioned the urgency of Kamal Nath being projected as the party’s future CM candidate in MP.Yadav has said that after the elections are won, only it should be decided who would be the Chief Minister in MP. As of today, Kamal Nath is the President of Madhya Pradesh PCC. He also added that they all have been working under his leadership. However, former leader of Opposition Ajay Singh has come out in support and favour of Arun Yadav as the candidate for the top post in case Congress forms the government. Earlier, Congress’s national in-charge for MP, JP Agrawal, had said that the party was yet to finalize its CM face in the state. State Congress president Kamal Nath has said that he was not interested in becoming the chief minister of the state. (IPA Service)
