The exit of Dharmendra Pradhan from the Union Cabinet has left many ministers unusually cautious. “Doing less work is acceptable, but inviting controversy is not,” a senior minister remarked after Pradhan’s resignation following Saturday’s protests. Sources say ministers are now examining major policy files more carefully than before. One BJP leader joked that after Saturday’s lesson, intelligence must outweigh political instinct. Many also admit that social media has made public scrutiny swift and unforgiving. Meanwhile, attention has shifted to the Education Ministry. A full-time minister is expected only after August 15 or September 17. The portfolio is now seen as politically risky, with names from Maharashtra and Odisha, besides caste equations, dominating discussions.
PLI review blues for ministries
The PMO has stepped up monitoring of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme amid concerns that several of the 14 sectors have fallen short of promised investments, production and jobs. Sources say secretaries from different ministries have faced tough questioning during recent review meetings and have been asked to submit time-bound action plans. The PMO also wants stricter monitoring of underperforming sectors. Officials, however, admit that many reviews have remained confined to presentations and progress reports, with little visible improvement on the ground. Despite repeated meetings, several sectors continue to miss targets, raising concerns over implementation and accountability. Insiders fear frequent reviews without resolving bottlenecks could increasingly be viewed as mere optics.
Cabinet secretary’s August goodbye?
Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan is learnt to be unlikely to seek an extension and is expected to leave office after completing his fixed two-year term on August 30. Though the reasons remain unclear, sources point to two possibilities. One, he believes he has already experienced “the core of the system” and it is time to pass the baton. Two, he could be headed for a more significant assignment within the government. The prospect has surprised many in the bureaucracy because previous Cabinet Secretaries, including KM Chandrasekhar, PK Sinha and Rajiv Gauba, readily accepted extensions.
Parties eye Jantar Mantar formula
The cockroach stir may be over, but the Opposition is keen to borrow its playbook. Seeing how the students’ protests struck a chord with the people, the INDIA bloc now wants to take its political battles beyond Parliament and onto the streets. At recent INDIA bloc meetings, leaders agreed that major issues should be fought both inside and outside Parliament. Every constituent has been asked to suggest creative ways of taking political battles to the people. The message was blunt: statements and disruptions alone will not bring political dividends; only sustained struggles on the ground will. The Opposition is also encouraged by the response to its recent protest outside the PM’s residence and the march to Gandhi Smriti.
Four meets later, a liberal discovered
Former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi says he has “no regrets” about meeting RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in 2022, recalling that the interaction eventually led to three more meetings. Speaking at the launch of his book India and I: A Hundred Memories, Not a Memoir, Quraishi said he and a group of Muslim friends had sought an open dialogue with Bhagwat. He said the RSS chief listened patiently and shared views that left a lasting impression. “We came away feeling he was perhaps the most liberal voice in the Sangh Parivar,” Quraishi remarked. Bhagwat also showed them criticism he faced within the Sangh for reaching out, mirroring the backlash Quraishi’s group encountered.
