High Stakes
PM pulls up MP CM, Goa BJP chief in CEC meet
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been taking a keen interest in the selection of BJP candidates for the current Lok Sabha elections. He has attended all the meetings of the party’s Central Election Committee and discussed the strengths and weaknesses of every single candidate.
In one such recent meeting, when Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav suggested a candidate for the Indore Lok Sabha constituency. The Prime Minister asked Yadav as to why that particular candidate should be given the ticket.
Yadav said he was in Bhopal as Chief Minister, and the candidate he was suggesting was strong enough to look after Indore as well as Ujjain. This way, he said, the party could look after the entire Malwa region of the state. The Prime Minister responded by telling the Chief Minister that he hardly spends time in Bhopal and visits Ujjain too often.
The PM asked the CM to stop worrying about Indore and focus on the responsibility he has been given. The CM tried to explain his Indore visits but he was cut short. Similarly, when the CEC started a discussion on possible candidates for the South Goa constituency, the Prime Minister asked the state leaders to find a good woman candidate for the seat.
When the state party president, Sadanand Tanavade, said that there were no strong women candidates, the PM asked Tanavade, who is a member of the Rajya Sabha, to resign from the Upper House and fight the election from South Goa. Mr Modi said he would bring a woman MP to the Rajya Sabha if the party cannot find a winnable woman candidate for the Lok Sabha. The state unit is now busy looking for a woman candidate for the seat.
Dynasty Tales
Varun Gandhi not to contest LS elections
The BJP has decided not to give ticket to its Pilibhit MP Varun Gandhi for the Lok Sabha elections 2024. This was widely expected as the young Gandhi, who is a grandson of Indira Gandhi, has spared no opportunity in the last few years to criticise the policies and programmes of his party’s Union government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Elections are scheduled to be held in Pilibhit in the first phase on April 19, 2024. The last date of filing nomination for the seat is March 27 but the BJP is yet to declare its candidate.
Sources said that the party’s high command has decided to drop Varun and repeat his mother Maneka Gandhi from Sultanpur. There have been speculations on Varun’s next move. There are reports that he may contest either as an independent supported by the Samajwadi Party or even join the SP to contest as its candidate. Sources, however, said that Varun may not contest the current election. He is also not likely to campaign for any party or candidate. The Samajwadi Party has already announced its candidate from Pilibhit. Varun shares a good rapport with SP president Akhilesh Yadav and he may lend unofficial support to the latter’s candidate.