United in grief
The unexpected death of Sheila Dikshit, the three-term former CM of Delhi, brought the imploding Congress party somewhat together (short of the rebels returning home!). Graceful articulate dignified, 81-year-old Dikshit was propped up in her twilight years by an ever dithering Congress party, to create a narrative, which never took off. “She never allowed her smile to fade though, even when she had to express her irritation with how things went,” including a possible Lok Sabha alliance with Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP. That is how a Congress veteran put it.
The same Kejriwal, who fashioned his political rhetoric attacking her government to come to power, made peace with her later. It’s well known when Dikshit was the Delhi CM she was liberal enough to not discriminate. The openly right-wing newspaper got as much Delhi Government support as the behemoth and the others.
Likewise, the social sector funding to the Delhi-based RSS affiliates were never stopped. It was often said, Dikshit was more popular across the ideological divide than some of the Delhi BJP leaders were, within their own fold. Then what felled a successful administrator, an old world politician, who carried all sides along without comprising her party’s political thrust? How did she lose the Delhi state, so miserably? The answer came from a witness to the internal dynamics of the GOP: “Because of the Congress party!”
Some sulks in DMK
The 23-member DMK contingent, it seems, is none too happy. Neither near power in Delhi, nor in power in Tamil Nadu. Worse, the first timers — and there are quite a few of them — are in a big sulk. They are not even part of the parliamentary panels, standing committees, et al. The slots in the BAC, PAC, Estimates Committee which require domain knowledge and expertise, have naturally gone to the big four — TR Baalu, Kazimohzi, Dayanidhi Maran and A Raja.
However, the parliamentary standing committees posts too have not come to any of the nine newcomers. Nor have the invites to the four foreign parliamentary trips that are scheduled. That apart, some of them are up in arms that DMK has no strategy meeting on what issues are to be raised in the house. Whereas the Congress meets on every Friday, the TMC MPs meet every morning. But there’s no such practice in the DMK. The new comers are now all set to meet MK Stalin to air their grievances.
Focus Tamil Nadu
The NIA has been hyperactive in Tamil Nadu. It has already conducted 14 raids in the state in connection with the Ansarulla terrorist gang. More are to follow. It seems these activities of the central agencies are geared towards impressing the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, who is scheduled to visit to the state in September.
Trump for R-Day
Well, the Republic Day 2020 is still quite some months away. But the invitation for the chief guest has already been rolled out. And, it seems, the guest has given a provisional nod of acceptance. So don’t be surprised if you find Donald Trump gracing the occasion next January 26.
Resort politics
Ever since Karnataka MLAs chose to be at resorts and hotels, not in their constituencies or even the Vidhan Soudha, playing cards are much in demand. The only problem is when ‘leaders’ visit, they have to pack up their leisurely activities. One of them even lamented, he lost a big wager to a fellow MLA in the mad rush. The amount lost and won, was not more than 5 lakh though! Meanwhile, when CM HDK asked the wife of a rebel JDS MLA to file a missing person’s report against her husband. Last heard, she too has gone missing!