Madhya Pradesh Political Punch: Political Equations; Upset Minister; New Factions & More

Political equations

Children of some politicians in the state recently walked the aisles, and many important people participated in those wedding functions. Yet those who had failed to attend the grand galas visited the houses of these politicians after the wedding ceremonies to bless newlyweds. A senior politician's son visiting the residence of an MP to give his best wishes to the bride and groom has surprised many in the corridors of power. He is the son of an influential leader of the BJP and generally avoids public events. He holds an important position in the party and often remains busy. Yet, he reached the MP's house. His visit has revealed the MP has close connections with the BJP's influential leader. His visit also revealed who helped the MP get a ticket in the previous Lok Sabha election. There were reports that the party would refuse him a ticket. People say that caste equations have always deprived the MP of a cabinet berth at the Centre.

Upset minister

A minister in the MP cabinet has three departments, but only one of them is important. Ergo, he is trying to get another department. Yet success has eluded him. The government intends to close one of the departments that the minister heads, and he is acquainted with it. The government has shut a few new projects that the department was dealing with. The government intends to shut the department after the old projects are over. Similarly, another department, functioning under the minister, has fewer assignments to handle. The officers are actually running the department. Other than holding one or two meetings with the officials, the minister has done little for the department. Another department the minister heads has a few jobs, but he is scarcely enjoying working there. On an earlier occasion, the department was under him. Now, the lawmaker is flattering the chief minister to get an important department. But he is yet to achieve success.

New factions

A minister in the state cabinet generally avoids groupism in the party. But he has recently joined the lobby of a leader who defected from the Congress to the BJP. The city the minister comes from has witnessed factional fighting among some ruling party leaders. They are divided into two groups. A union minister is leading one group, and a powerful leader of the ruling dispensation, holding an important position, is spearheading another. By staying away from both factions, the minister tried to maintain a balance between them. But now, he has joined the union minister’s camp. The MP and the minister have soured relations. Yet, because he is close to a leader siding with the MP, he crossed fences to join the other faction. At a function a few days ago, he even praised the union minister’s efficiency. Some BJP leaders from the same city enjoy the tussle between the duo.

Change of heart

Another Congress mayor is in the process of changing heart. He may hop to the ruling party any day. At a recent conference of mayors in Bhopal, many politicians of his own party and the ruling outfit saw him in the BJP office. There was hardly anything wrong with his meeting the chief minister and the minister of the department as a member of the mayoral delegation. But his meeting with the BJP’s state unit president and that too, in the party office, has sparked speculations. There are reports that being the mayor from the opposition camp, he lacks control over the city he represents. His orders remain ignored. A few Congressmen are following the mayor's footsteps, getting closer to the ruling party. The influence of the leader, who gave him a ticket for the post of mayoral election, has waned in the party. He is unable to cope with the party’s new state leadership. This is the reason that speculations about his switching over to the BJP are rife. But there are canards that a senior leader of the BJP is averse to admitting him into the party.

Man of the hour

Talks for an election to the post of BJP’s national president are underway. The name of a union minister is doing the rounds for the post. Party leaders across the country are looking up to a present union minister and former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. The leaders of the state party unit are also keeping an eye on him. They feel if the former chief minister becomes the party’s national president, the state's political landscape will change. So, keeping that in mind, a few BJP leaders in the state are trying to maintain a balance between the state party leadership and the former chief minister. These leaders have met the state party leadership in the daylight and interact with the former chief minister when it is dark. There are reports that some leaders met the former chief minister in Delhi. A few of them yearn for a ministerial berth in the state cabinet, and some others long for a position in the party organisation.

A chip off the old block

A young Congress MLA is following in his father’s footsteps. The MLA’s father, who is no more, was the longest-serving legislator in the state capital. He was known for his simple lifestyle. As long as he was alive, the former lawmaker wore white ‘kurta-pyjama’ and ‘hawai chappals'. The young legislator has begun to wear ‘Kurta-Pyjama’ and ‘Hawai Chappals’ since the day he stepped into his father’s shoes. Like his father, the young lawmaker is always ready to serve the poor by raising their problems at the appropriate platforms. But whether he achieves the heights of his father, only time will tell. But for now, he has proved that he is a chip off the old block.