Chhattisgarh
A Resolution a Day
Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh took one resolution on each day of Narvratri and posted it on Twitter. Besides pledging to continue to focus on the state’s development and the party’s “sankalp se siddhi”, his other pledges were on women empowerment, welfare, education for all, caste-based discrimination and good governance. “Feedback on the resolutions will strengthen my will power,” Singh said.
Madhya Pradesh
Early Retirement for Lax Cops
The state government plans to retire over 100 non-performing, unfit and tainted state police service (SPS) as part of its 20-50 formula through the compulsory retirement scheme (CRS). Officers under the scanner are aged 50 or more and have completed 20 years of service.
Politico Sons and Ministers
Before CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan revamps his Cabinet early this month, speculations are rife about the promotion of three minister’s of state. These ministers could include Deepak Joshi (son of ex-CM Kailash Joshi), Surendra Patwa (nephew of former CM Late Sunderlal Patwa) and Vishwas Sarang (BJP leader Kailash Sarang’s son). The expansion might also see at least two Cabinet ministers and a minister of state being dropped over non-performance or controversies.
Maharashtra
All’s in a Name
As it became clear that former Maharashtra CM Narayan Rane—who quit the Congress last week—will have to form a new party to become part of the NDA, speculations about its name have begun. While Rane formed Samartha Vikas Aghadi to contest the gram panchayat polls, his sons have floated Swabhimani Samstha. Enthusiasts on social media have a suggestion for the name of the leader who is always unhappy with the party he is a part of. The new party should be named “Naraj Party”, they say, wherein the full form of ‘Naraj would be Narayan Rane Janata Party.
Jinxed House
Ramtek, the spacious sea-facing Maharashtra government bungalow that was once amongst the most sought after houses in Mumbai, now has no takers in the state Cabinet. Whoever moves into the bungalow loses his political clout, ministers believe. Last year, Eknath Khadse, the senior-most state minister, had to resign following corruption charges. Prior to him, NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal occupied the house; he is in jail now. Previous occupants Gopinath Munde and Vilasrao Deshmukh too had faced corruption charges.
Punjab
Ensuring a Win
The Gurdaspur parliamentary bypolls will be the first litmus test for the Capt Amarinder Singh government. Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar, close to Amarinder, will contest. To ensure he wins, the Captain has assigned all his nine ministers to one Assembly segment each.