Saab ka Saath (Cartoon 1)
The wedding function of a union minister’s son has been the talking point in the state capital. The presence of several VVIPs in the function also drew people’s attention. What was the most important part of it was the presence of a large number of Congress leaders. A few politicians of the ruling party, despite their internal wrangling, also attended the wedding ceremony as though it had been the marriage of someone in their family. A leader of the Congress, known for criticising the union minister, was seen at the ceremony with his family members in the morning and in the evening. Similarly, another Congress leader with whom the union minister was involved in a legal battle looked very happy. The union minister’s way of inviting leaders of all political parties won the heart one and all. This was the reason why even the leaders of the opposition camp took part in the function where differences between the union minister and others seemed to have sunken.
Well-liked CM
Popularity a politician enjoys among the masses is the criterion to measure the height of his success. And when a politician commands respect among his colleagues as well as among the masses, he emerges as the real hero. The same thing was apparent during the stay of a chief minister in the state capital. A large number of VVIPs were present at a recent function in the state capital. Among them he appeared to be the most popular chief minister. Every leader of the BJP wanted to click a photograph with him. Forget about the second-rung leaders, even those who are very senior in the hierarchy of the party organisation wanted to have a photo session with him. The BJP leaders’ fondness for him was apparent as soon as the chief minister arrived at the airport. There were whispers that this chief minister would be the BJP’s next face in the general election. So, they thought it would be better to have a photograph with him. The chief minister appreciated the decision of a minister in MP to fetch the Ganga water and distribute it among the people. Now, a few politicians in MP are trying to find a significance of this appreciation.
Off limelight
A politician generally wants to hog media headlines. If a politician lays claim to any position he begins to run stories about it in the media. A contender for the post of BJP’s state unit president is requesting journalists to keep away from publishing his name. He is pleading with his colleagues in the party to keep him off the media headlines. After the BJP sprang a surprise in choosing the head of the state, the contender for the party’s state unit president looked scared. If his name gets so much popularity in the media, his name may be struck off the list of contenders. The politician has gathered support of the RSS for the post. He fears if he is given so much publicity, his adversaries will become active. However hard the politician may have worked to hold his name off the media, his efforts came to naught.
Who’s the informer?
A Congress leader’s recently-held press conference has raised speculations about his source of information. The Congress leader has made serious allegations against the minister. He not only made verbal allegations against the minister but also put up proofs in support of his contentions. The story did not stop there. He also took a union minister to task. Now, the union minister and his counterpart in the state are trying to detect the person who may have provided the Congress leader with documents. The needle of doubts is pointed towards a present legislator, who is also a former minister. There are murmurs in the corridors of power that since people will naturally suspect the former minister’s hand behind the press conference, some other person may have provided the Congress leader with the evidence. The state minister is just a pawn, but the real target is the union minister who is considered ambitious.
Black listed
The central BJP leadership has black listed a high-profile BJP legislature from the state. Once this legislator earned a lot of goodwill from the central leadership, and got the support of the party’s important leaders in the state. Now, the state government and the central government got angry with him. After his name cropped up in a case, all important leaders began to give him a wide berth. There are reports that the legislator tried to meet a powerful leader in Delhi in the name of inviting him to a wedding ceremony. The central leader agreed to meet the legislator and gave him time, but he refused to see him afterwards. The case, in which the legislator’s name is connected to, may multiply his problems in the coming days. A state government’s agency is probing the case, and a central agency is keeping its eyes on it.
Undisputed king?
A Congress leader in MP is out to prove himself undisputed in the party. He is the only leader in the party who maintains good relations with everyone in the organisation. As well as being on good terms with the old hands, he is cordial with the newcomers. He remains present in all the events organised by the party leadership and gives a piece of advice to all the office-bearers in the organisation. He holds one-to-one meetings with all the influential leaders in the state Congress unit. He has friendly relations with the party’s national leadership, too. There is a strategy behind his being undisputed. Before the next assembly election in the state, there may be turmoil in the party over the leadership issue. Amidst infighting in the party, the leader’s cordial relations with everyone may come handy.
