Insider-out

The list of prominent politicians with serious health crisis going abroad is increasing by the day. The latest is Delhi Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Maken.

Taken ill!

The list of prominent politicians with serious health crisis going abroad is increasing by the day. The latest is Delhi Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Maken. He is genuinely unwell with a severe problem relating to his spinal cord that makes it difficult for him to sit or stand for too long.

The reason he has gone off for treatment abroad. His local doctors, it seems, asked him to call it a day, meaning complete rest from political work. Since he had addressed a presser on the DU polls at the AICC office just two days before shooting off a quit letter to Rahul Gandhi, it caused disbelief all round. The tattle was that Maken wanted to step down not just from the PCC post, but also the party. AICC in-charge PC Chacko had to cry hoarse that neither was true.

That Maken will be back soon and resume work. Nonetheless, Maken’s dismay over a possible Congress-AAP alliance in Delhi is not unknown. One of the Haryana heavyweights who plays a rather vital role at the AICC lamented that Maken could not be blamed for wanting to quit. “I would have to do the same, if the party (Congress) decides to have an alliance with (Chautala’s) INLD (in Haryana).”

He claimed that such an alliance of anti forces in the name of Opposition unity would bring down the curtains on his political career. “We still have many years of politics left in us, but will rather sit at home than be part of (such) an alliance.” .

Telangana affairs

Did KCR announce early elections at the bidding of the Centre or vice versa? Will it help TRS or prove to be a mistake? The jury is out on both. The Congress camp, post the glaring faux pas of including Suresh Reddy in three poll panels (he left GOP for TRS some months back), meanwhile is on its own trip. It has issued a show-cause notice to Komattireddy Rajagopal Reddy for badmouthing local leaders for goofing up. Another senior leader, Hanumantha Rao, none too happy about his exclusion from the poll committees, has been spared. Though Rao has been equally vociferous in his criticism, he is an old Gandhi family loyalist. Plus, till the time he was in the Rajya Sabha, he lent his lung power and wherewithal for the Congress protests against ‘Modi Sarkar’.

Ananth not seen

Another prominent politician, Union Minister Ananth Kumar, has not been visible for some time. Speculation is rife that after Goa CM Manohar Parrikar, Kumar too is undergoing treatment aboard. The fact that he has not been visible when the BJP and the Modi Government’s under Opposition fire has been cited as evidence. Come winter session, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister’s health condition would be known to all. Till then, Kumar’s office is in ‘no reply’ mode. Rashtrapati Bhawan, too, has not been formally informed.

Khanduri out, Mishra in

Kalraj Mishra is as far from matters of defence as BC Khanduri is close to them. But Mishra has replaced retired Major Gen. Khanduri as the chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence. True to his background, Khanduri was known as a no-nonsense person in whichever post he held—as Vapayee’s roadways man or as Uttarakhand CM.

He recently submitted a report citing gross budget deficit in the defence sector. The committee, quoting the armed forces, stated the funds crunch may even cripple the forces’ purchase capacity in the event of an emergency. Mishra, too, is of Vajpayee vintage and had resigned from the Modi Cabinet in 2017, citing age. What has surprised many is the fact that Standing Committee chairmen are rarely ever changed.

Santwana Bhattacharya

The author is Political Editor, TNIE.

Email: santwana@newindianexpress.com

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