Season of political switchovers in full swing
With the date for the Assembly elections announced for Madhya Pradesh, the season of political switch-overs has begun. On Sunday, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sunil Mishra, who was elected as an MLA from Murwara seat of Katni district in 1985 on a Congress ticket, returned to the grand-old-party in the presence of MP Congress chief Kamal Nath and the party’s state media in-charge Shobha Oza. Just as the opposition party was rejoicing Mishra’s return, former Madhya Pradesh minister Ramashankar Chowdhary and ex-district president of Hoshangabad Santosh Gaur quit the Congress to join the ruling BJP in presence of party’s national general secretary (organisation) Ram Lal.
Anti-SC/ST Act protests reach Bhopal
Protests against the amended Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and a strong call for ending caste-based reservation has now reached the state capital. A few hours before Shah arrived in Bhopal on Sunday, several houses situated in Bharat Nagar locality (just a few km away from the state BJP headquarters) were seen bearing banners reading in Hindi, “I am from general category, don’t embarrass me by soliciting votes. Vote for NOTA.” Upper caste residents of these houses when questioned about these banners on gates of their houses said, “it’s high time that era of caste based reservation ends in the country and paves the passage for reservation based on economic status.”
Tickets for sons, daughters: Shah’s decision a dampener for BJP leaders
On his two-day tour in poll-bound MP, BJP national president Amit Shah made it clear that the party was an organisation of grass roots workers and not big leaders. His focus on party workers and not on tall leaders is being seen among party circles in Bhopal as a clear cut indication that senior politicians eyeing tickets for their sons and daughters will be disappointed.
Ministers Narottam Mishra, Narendra Singh Tomar, Gaurishankar Shejwar, Gaurishankar Bisen and Jayant Malaiya, besides other senior politicians like Kailash Vijayvargiya, Prabhat Jha and even Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan could be hit.
BJP’s Vision Document to be released by October 25
The ruling BJP is likely to release its poll manifesto by October 25. The first draft of the document was presented before BJP chief Amit Shah and national general secretary (organisation) Ram Lal on Sunday. The document, which would be finalised after including announcements made by the CM, was prepared after holding consultations with 10,000 party workers and people at 24 places .
SC verdict: Ayyappa devotees take to streets
Just a few days after the Supreme Court allowed entry of women of all ages inside the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala, a rally by Swami Ayyappa Sewa Samajam in Bhopal demanded revision of the judgment. Hundreds of devotees participated in the procession. Interestingly, most of them were women, who chanted hymns dedicated to Lord Ayyappa and carried banners requesting revision of the verdict.