New Delhi: The BJP is confused by the conditions placed on Chirag Paswan ahead of the NDA meeting on Tuesday. Chirag Paswan has sought six Lok Sabha seats and one Rajya Sabha seat. Chirag claims that when his father Ram Vilas Paswan was alive, he got six Lok Sabha seats and if he rejoins the NDA, he should get the same number of seats.
BJP cannot afford six seats to Chirag as BJP has to retain Pashupati Paras, Nagamani, Chintanram Mazi and Mukesh Sahni too. Since Pashupati Paras has been with the BJP during difficult times, the BJP also has to give him six seats, while if the remaining three parties are given four seats each, then the BJP will be left with 16 seats.
Sources of BJP say that BJP's formula is to give 20 seats to all the five parties and keep 20 seats to themselves. Chirag will be persuaded to agree to this formula.
BJP will not tie up with Akali Dal-TDP
Ahead of the NDA meeting on Tuesday, the BJP has decided not to tie up with the Akali Dal and the TDP. BJP leaders say that in Andhra, the BJP was keen to tie up with the TDP, but since Chandrababu Naidu wants more seats in both the Lok Sabha and the Legislative Assembly, the BJP has changed its mind. Instead, the BJP will tie up with film star Pawan Kalyan's Janasena party to defeat Jagan Mohan Reddy in Andhra Pradesh. Assembly elections will be held in Andhra along with Lok Sabha in April-May 2024. Pawan Kalyan's alliance with the party will be formalized at an NDA meeting in the presence of Narendra Modi.
In Punjab too, instead of joining hands with the Akali Dal, the BJP has decided to fight alone. As the survey done by BJP did not show the possibility of victory of Akali Dal in Punjab, BJP has decided to fight alone by keeping the Akalis aside.
Ajit group surrendered to Pawar to avoid defection
There are indications that Ajit Pawar, who created a rift in the NCP in Maharashtra, will once again hold Sharad Pawar's feet. Ajit Pawar had earlier reached his uncle Sharad Pawar's house to meet him and the next day he met Pawar again along with other rebel leaders of the NCP. Along with Ajit Pawar, Prafull Patel, Hasan Musharif and Dilip Patil were also present. Leaders including Ajit tried to convince Sharad Pawar.
Sources in the NCP say that the Ajit Pawar group does not have the 36 MLAs required to avoid the anti-defection law, so they cannot escape without convincing Sharad Pawar. Pawar sacked Ajit after he was sworn in as deputy chief minister, splitting the NCP due to disqualification due to the anti-defection law. Now the pawar is loose, so it is believed that ghee will fall into the ghee tank.
A nationwide movement will be launched against the BJP government
Sources claim that in a meeting held in Bengaluru to unite the opposition before the Lok Sabha Elections, the opposition will unite and take a decision at the end of the nationwide movement against the BJP. The opposition leaders are agreed that a nationwide movement like the movement started by Jaiprakash Narayan against Indira Gandhi's government in 1974 should be started from Bihar. The issue will be further discussed on Tuesday and may also include the appointment of a new convener for opposition unity.
In this meeting, consensus will be reached for the opposition to fight unitedly on UCC, inflation, foreign policy, unemployment, Delhi Ordinance and other issues in the monsoon session of Parliament. Mamata Banerjee and Sharad Pawar were not present at the dinner hosted by Sonia Gandhi, but other opposition leaders have agreed on the issue. Now Tuesday's formal meeting will discuss the comprehensive strategy to fight the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Apart from Pawar and Mamata, Sonia Gandhi will also be present in this meeting.
Congress will focus on six states
Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress has focused on states it considers weak for the BJP, including Haryana. The Congress has decided to target Haryana and Uttarakhand in addition to Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, the three states that have assembly elections in November. Himachal Pradesh has a Congress government, so Himachal is also on the target of Congress.
There are a total of 83 Lok Sabha seats in these six states. Congress aims to win 50 of these seats while the remaining 50 seats are to be won from southern states, Maharashtra etc.
Congress has specifically targeted Haryana and the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty itself has become active in Haryana. Recently, the Congress has made the video viral of Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi dancing on Haryanvi songs with the women of Sonipat, Haryana. Apart from this, Rahul himself drove a tractor in a field in Haryana and interacted with the farmers.
* * *
Thanks to Khadge for his support: Kejriwal
The Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) woes have been compounded by the ordinance promulgated by the Center to control Delhi's administrative services. When asked about the attitude of the Congress regarding this ordinance, he told the reporters that this is not an issue related to any one person (Kejriwal). If there is a blow to the democracy and constitution of the country, then it becomes our responsibility to unite and protect the democracy and constitution. He added that no person is greater than the country. Kejriwal, who was visibly moved today, tweeted that thanks to Khadge, for standing by the people of Delhi. This ordinance is anti-India and anti-national. It is necessary to fight equally against it.
The name of Kumar Vishwas' wife was added to the FIR
Rajasthan's ACB (Anti-Bribery Bureau) team has added the name of Manju Sharma, wife of Kumar Vishwas, to the FIR in the Rs 18.50 lakh bribery case. Four accused, including a Congress leader, have been arrested for changing the mark sheet in the executive officer examination. Manju Sharma is a member of Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC). Acting Director General of ACB Hemant Priyadarshi said that no role of RPSC has been found so far in this case. The four accused who have been detained include Gopal Kesawat, a member of the Rajasthan Denotified Nomadic and Semi Nomadic Trail Welfare Board.
Minister's remarks unfavorable to Himachal Congress
Himachal Pradesh Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Sindh blamed illegal mining for the flood damage in Beas river in Kullu district of the state and said that God or nature alone cannot be blamed for this. Illegal mining caused damage to the river banks, due to which the river changed its course. This is the fact. I am sure that the Chief Minister knows this, he added. Vikramaditya Singh, a two-time MLA, is the son of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.
In UP, Rajbhar returned to the NDA
Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party chief Om Prakash Rajbhar has returned to the NDA after a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. This will likely strengthen BJP in Uttar Pradesh. Amit Shah welcomed OBC (Other Backward Classes) leader Rajbhar to the NDA by tweeting a picture of his meeting with Rajbhar. Rajbhar has cut ties with the Samajwadi Party to join the NDA. BJP and SBSP will stand together and fight for social justice, national security, good governance, empowerment of the deprived, exploited, farmers, dalits, youth, women and every poor. Rajbhar tweeted.
Akhilesh advocating exemption of personnel levy
A delegation of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board met Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow on Sunday and submitted a petition against Central's proposed move to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the country. Akhilesh alleged that the ruling party is trying to divert people's attention from important issues by raising controversial issues like BJP, UCC. Yadav assured the delegation of his party's support. Yadav added that all religious followers should be given the right to enforce their personal laws.
- Inder Sahni
