RSS Being Cruel To Advani?

The RSS parivar, especially the chief Mohan Bhagat, is reportedly putting pressure on L.K. Advani that he should as a senior leader announce the name of Narendra Modi as BJP’s prime minister-nominee. Now if this is true, it certainly is cruel of RSS. If presently Advani hates anyone it has to be Modi—a young brash fellow trying to usurp the position which is his. After all the image of Advani with folded hands is etched on everyone for ages! And despite his long cherished dream of becoming Prime Minister, and which everyone including the RSS, knows, his dream is being shattered and replaced by a nightmare of announcing Modi’s name. It is like an inquisition.

But Mohan Bhagat is said to feel that if Advani announces Modi’s name, it would end the impression that the BJP is a divided party. If the infighting continues, this would affect the electoral odds and might cost the party the chance to take over power from the UPA.

Advani is no novice in political gamesmanship. He cited prior commitment to avoid attending the recent meeting of RSS and BJP in Delhi. If he did attend possibly pressure would have been put on him to accede to the proposition to announce Modi’s name before the November assembly elections in several politically crucial States. The tug of war continues.

The Shotgun Shoots In Self-Defence?

The actor-turned politician Shatrughan Sinha had in 2009 election won from one of the Patna parliamentary constituency on BJP ticket. His opponent the famous political satirist Congress-nominee Shekhar Suman had lost badly. So it shocked all those who know him that after a meeting with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Sinha declared that Kumar was the best and most equipped person to be Prime minister.

Possibly pressurized by the anger in his BJP, Sinha issued a sort of retraction in which he praised Modi. But the general impression is that Sinha is in the anti-Modi camp of Advani. And he is trying to dent Modi’s chances by naming Kumar. Incidentally Advani is reported to be on friendly terms with Kumar. In fact Kumar’s plight today, of having lost the BJP cadres and facing an angry upper caste and a resurgent Laloo Yadav, is due to friend Advani. It is said that he advised Kumar to threaten that he would split from the BJP, if Modi was made chairman of the Election Campaign Committee. The RSS and the BJP would cower down, Kumar was told. The result Kumar went on threatening to a point from where he could not retract. And now he faces a very uncertain political future.

So the impression gained that Sinha was most probably been advised by Advani. But the fact is that Sinha is apprehensive that the BJP would not give him the ticket because he has become quite unpopular in his constituency which he neglected. So he is all over Nitish Kumar to either give him a ticket or send him to Rajya Sabha. So Shotgun has been “shooting” in self-defence?

 Speaking His Mind

Dr Manmohan Singh, as funsters say, speaks his mind and that is why e is usually silent. He walks straight, he sits in the Lok Sabha with an impassive face but when it comes to one liners and tweets he is candid, even if not believed by most. He has been recently tweeting and alking about many things except issues that matter—like the case of the SDM Durga.

His recent tweet was “Science is a tool to empower and emancipate people.” So is he going to study science or induct ministers who are from ISRO and such like organisations? Time is very short as general election is due in less than eight months. He will have to embark on his Operation Search Scientists rather quickly. Only then as one columnist said he might get Nobel Prize for Original Thinking.

He has also assured us without going into much detail that economy would revive soon. Do we believe him? No answer needed. He then talked about sacrifices we must make, without telling us what sacrifices. The rupee which is breaking record for lowest exchange rate against dollar and sterling has already made us give up many imported items, we have been thinking of not sending our children for study abroad, have started buying second hand cars and so on. The list is really long.

And if we may ask him what sacrifices he or his family have made, we are sure to be answered by his usual stoic silence.

 Akhilesh Is Treading Congress’s Path

There is a saying in Hindi, Guru ghud hi rahe gaya or chela shakkar ho gaya. That holds good for the young Akhilesh Yadav, no longer a very popular Chief Minister of UP. He has learnt how to plug his ears, read no critiy or scandal tacisms of his policies or actions and unashamedly go on doing whatever he wishes to, from the Congress Party. So many scams have come out, ministers have been tainted by exposures, but the UPA Government ignores all critics, opponents, court’s comments and public opinion to do whatever it wanted to.

In sheer desperation and frustrated anger, the protesters have thrown their arms up and then as time passes the memory of the incident fades. And the Congress-led governments then continue to do merrily chug chug along and do what most possibly really is bad.

They Are Back

The famous couple, Shashi Tharoor and Sunanda, were more love-birds than a much matured—through three marriages each— middle-aged couple. All the time holding hands they exuded sublime happiness and ecstasy over their togetherness.

Then suddenly whispers resounded that they have separated. It was a shock. How could they, having been so much in love? Anybody who met them recalled the glowing faces of the two. But then at a couple of places and functions Sunanda was seen alone. Sadly one concluded that there was separation.

But they are back together. We all wish them a long, long togetherness with joy and happiness. Recall the saying everyone loves the lovers.