Express News Service
Early elections
Stars disfavour clubbing LS polls with states
The Delhi power circle is abuzz with talks of Prime Minister Narendra Modi planning to advance the Lok Sabha election and clubbing it with that of the five states that go to polls this December. The Election Commission of India’s early start of ‘first-level checks’ of the Electronic Voting Machines and the paper-trail machines across the country added grist to the mill. But highly placed sources rule out the possibility of an early general election. Their argument has to do more with astrology than politics. They say in mid-June, the sun moved into the southern hemisphere for the next six months, marking the beginning of Dakshinayana, a period considered inauspicious, when important decisions are usually avoided.
Especially so in the last two months of Dakshinayana. The Prime Minister is deeply religious and believes in astrology. Sources said it is highly unlikely he would undertake a project as important as his re-election during Dakshinayana. Besides this, the Ram temple at Ayodhya will not be ready for consecration before next year. The opening of the Ram temple is likely to happen by the end of January or the first week of February next year after the beginning of Uttarayana, which is marked by the festivals of Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Bihu, etc. So, the possibility of the Prime Minister advancing the general election appears very remote.
Congress reshuffle
Kharge ready with new CWC; announcement soon
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has finalised his new team. He had multiple consultations with former party presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Sources said they have since finalised the names of new members of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party’s top decision-making body. The AICC plenary this February authorised Kharge to choose the CWC members. The party has amended its constitution to give 50% of CWC posts to SC, ST, OBC, minorities, women and youth. The strength of the CWC has also been increased to 35. Kharge has managed to strike this balance in close consultation with the two Gandhis. In addition to the CWC, the Congress president has also finalised his new team of AICC office-bearers, including the general secretaries, secretaries and treasurer.
The announcement of the team is likely to be made within a week. The Congress president will run the party with the help of these office-bearers and CWC members. Sources said Priyanka Gandhi, who resigned as general secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh, may make a comeback as a general secretary and will be given charge of poll-bound Telangana, where Congress expects to do well. Popular leader Shashi Tharoor, who had challenged Kharge in the election for the post of Congress president, may be given a place in the CWC. However, the hottest discussion in the Congress is on the fate of the powerful general secretary in charge of the organisation, K C Venugopal. Sources say that Kharge is not in favour of having both the top leaders in the organisation, namely, the president and general secretary (organisation), from south India. But Venugopal enjoys a close personal equation with Rahul Gandhi and has worked hard through his tenure. It would be interesting to see what position he gets in the new setup.
