Gadkari’s innocence
Although minister of road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari is known for his simple lifestyle, at times he puts other people on the spot. Delhi Police had to experience the same lately. Recently, PM Modi was to chair a meeting of Niti Aayog. Consequently, Delhi Police had sealed the entire area. Officials were finding it difficult to reach their respective offices in time. One of them was Nitin Gadkari. He promptly marooned his official vehicle and started walking towards his office. One of the policemen on duty, who didn’t know him by face, not only stopped him but curtly asked him to turn back. While that policeman was still arguing with the minister, a senior officer that recognised him rushed to his help, and promptly escorted him to his ministry. The policeman in question was shaking like a leaf, but Gadkari patted him for doing his duty.
enerGised conGress
There is a marked change in the working style of Rahul Gandhi following his accession as the party supremo. Some insiders are alleging that instead of taking everyone – from old guards to new blood – along, there is a visible corporatisation of the party. Most of those who complain are from old guards who don’t like the style of working of the new entrants. They insist that the new team is in a hurry. That the new blood does not know that decision-making process is a long process that includes to-and-fro between cadres and office-bearers. New members, on the other hand, want information on anything in a jiffy. Since the old guards are not accustomed to such quick decision-making, they often lag behind and are given an earful. This has left many of old-timers sulking. But Rahul Gandhi insists that extraordinary situation demands extraordinary thinking, and this is what Congress will resort to now.
PM vs rss
It became apparent in BJP’s National Executive meeting with the PM that rural India is peeved with Modi. RSS functionaries inside the party have told Modi that Gujarat election results are indicative that rural India is no more finding his antics amusing. Those functionaries who are coming from the Hindi heartland have curtly told the PM that if the party wants to come back to power in 2019, it needs to overhaul its policies for rural India. But it appears that the PM does not give two hoots about Sangh’s concerns, and has refused to be browbeaten. Last heard, RSS was still trying to elicit a response from him.
rahUl-shah Bad Blood
The banter between ruling party and the opposition is part of parliamentary democracy. The same members of Parliament who go for each other’s throat inside the House, at times look like a house on fire when they meet outside of the job. Recently, Rajya Sabha defeated the draconian Triple Talaq Bill pushed by the ruling dispensation. Opposition leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma made a valiant stand against the bill and forced the government to send it to the standing committee. But on the very same day, Minister Arun Jaitley assured that Anand Sharma’s birthday cake be cut in his own chamber. Nabi Azad and other Congress leaders were in attendance when Sharma cut his birthday cake in Jaitley’s room. This incident is in stark contrast with how Rahul Gandhi and Amit Shah behave with each other. They mostly look through each other. A section of parliamentarians insists that these two should bury the hatchet as Advani and Sonia once did.
