With the first phase of Bihar polls days away, the Congress campaign feels adrift. A scheduled press conference was abruptly called off—one of several recently scrapped due to “coordination issues”. Rahul Gandhi hit the trail only on October 29, leaving barely a week before campaign ends on November 4. Of the 40 “star campaigners” named, few have actually shown up. Inside the war room, tempers are high after Kishanganj MLA Izarul Hussain was dropped despite CEC clearance, allegedly at the insistence of a senior functionary backed by state in-charge Krishna Allavaru. At the grassroots, resentment simmers—over tickets, “friendly fights” with the RJD and Rahul’s brief presence.
New Parivar coordinator
The RSS has made a change in a key coordination role. Atul Limaye replaces Arun Kumar as the point person for liaison with the BJP. Both are Sahsarkaryawahs (joint general secretaries), but Limaye’s track record—especially during BJP’s strong Maharashtra performance—has made the switch a talking point. The coordination function, considered crucial within the Sangh Parivar framework, was being handled by Kumar since Dattatreya Hosabole became Sarkaryawah (general secretary). The reasons for the change have not been officially outlined. Insiders see it as part of efforts to bolster organisational synergy.
Potholes to decide promotions
Nitin Gadkari has a solution for potholes and cracks in newly laid highways: link officers’ promotions to condition of roads they oversee. Vexed with complaints, the minister proposed performance audits using accident data, citizen feedback, and social media reports. If a stretch stays cratered, the concerned officer’s promotion could be held up. The move aims to enforce the 10-year defect liability clause and push accountability beyond contractors. “Instead of contractors, I’m going after officers,” Gadkari quipped, half in jest but wholly serious. His bottom line: “Investigate performance audits of work done. That’s the best way to build a good road.”
Buzz over senior bureaucrat’s return
The Centre’s decision to repatriate IAS officer Rajesh Aggarwal to Maharashtra has set off a quiet buzz in Mantralaya. The 1989-batch officer was serving in the Social Justice Ministry as Secretary. The order came even as current Chief Secretary Rajesh Kumar Meena’s tenure ends on November 30. By seniority, Aggarwal now tops the list of contenders for the state’s top bureaucratic post. Delhi sources hint the move followed a request from Mumbai. The grapevine is that Aggarwal’s is a strategic homecoming, in time for a leadership reset.
The Netaji Nagar shuffle
The shifting of pin codes of New Delhi’s bureaucracy is causing quiet heartburn. Many ministries, including Commerce, Steel, and Heavy Industries, have been told to pack up for Netaji Nagar, while Kartavya Bhavan, gleaming by the new Kartavya Path, will host high-profile ministries of Home, External Affairs, and Petroleum. “We got the blocks, they got the boulevard,” joked an official wryly. Parking is already a sore point for those used to Lutyens’ leafy calm. The order says parking will be allotted separately—not comforting for those wrestling with traffic snarls to the new place. Many feel it’s a one-way trip from Kartavya to karma.
Nishant after Nitish: Village logic
Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant Kumar may have stayed away from Bihar’s poll scene, but his ancestral village Kalyan Bigha in Nalanda district, is treating him as the heir apparent. Posters calling him “Bihar ka Bhavishya” and “JDU’s need of the hour” adorn homes. The gate of Bhagwati Aathan, where Nitish offers prayers, bears posters that show the duo together. Villagers are confident Maa Bhagwati will bless Nishant’s political entry. No idea if they are aware of speculation in Patna about the younger Kumar taking the Legislative Council route in 2026.
A starry Igas in the poll season
BJP MP and chief spokesperson Anil Baluni hosted Igas, Garhwal’s Budhi Diwali, at his Delhi residence. The celebration featured a vegetarian dinner, tasteful décor, and music by Pandavas, a popular Uttarakhand band. Prominent attendees included NSA Ajit Doval, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta, singer Jubin Nautiyal, and spiritual leader Pandit Dhirendra Krishna Shastri. Home Minister Amit Shah spent over an hour and a half there—a brief break from the Bihar poll campaign. Relaxed and engaging with journalists, Shah fielded several questions, mostly focused on the ongoing Bihar polls.
