From the India Gate: Sons of Toil, Poor Ad'Vice' and More
First Published Apr 10, 2023, 9:21 AM IST
SURGICAL STRIKE
Anil K Antonys tectonic shift to BJP has stumped the Congress.
Anils open admission that the future development of the country can be scripted only by the BJP is sure to attract more youth to the saffron fold. Moreover, this move is seen as a catalyst that would accelerate BJPs political chemistry with the Church.
But more than Congress, this has shocked the Left. The event also brought out how easily Left social media cooks up trolls to dilute the political import of this development. One of the comments read that Anils father A K Antony, a politician with an impeccable track record, was arm twisted by the Central Government! It said Antony was threatened to be investigated for arms deals during his tenure as Defence Minister and this sabre-rattling resulted in Anils rush to join BJP.
This 'claim' would surely leave everyone in the South Block in splits. For, Antonys tenure was known for snail-paced action to acquire critical assets. At least personnel who served the nation during that era would attest to the fact that Antony refrained from taking crucial decisions to keep his sainthood stain-free.
From the India Gate: Satyagraha misfire, Lotus pickle and more
POOR AD'VICE'
Queen of Hearts is indeed a powerful card. But when the queen gains prominence on a political poster, it becomes a talking point.
The reason is more than the disproportionate importance given to a senior leader on posters that are appearing in the nook and cranny of Rajasthan.
The design projects her more than the national leaders and the poster screams that 'the pair of big leaders is making way for CM'. But what irked other parties is the photograph of a national leader occupying a constitutional position amongst images of other party honchos.
It is a political norm that the faces of leaders promoted to constitutional positions arent used by their respective political parties on publicity materials. Congress has already sought an explanation from BJP on the viral poster.
Priyanka from Wayanad? Night allowance for paid crowd?
THE RIGHT TO HIDE
Quarantine -- as a medical jargon -- became a scary term post-Covid days. Though many political leaders have been quarantined after they were infected, not many are ready to believe Corona as a cause for the Rajasthan chief minister's withdrawal to an isolation ward.
The state had witnessed massive upheaval following the governments decision to introduce the Right to Health Bill. Initially, the protest was ignored. But when the striking doctors took to the streets the chief minister agreed to engage them in talks.
The government accepted eight conditions and the doctors called off the strike. But immediately after this, the chief minister went incommunicado after being 'advised' to be quarantined for 15 days. This has left doctors at crossroads as the Right to Health Bill has not been amended yet. And there is no word about the eight amendments that were hammered out following talks with the CM.
Dejected souls over official files, 'Upar Wale' go missing and more
LITMUS TEST
The withering of the 'leaf' has been a concern for the party as well as its sole leader from the Kongu belt. In spite of being elected as the leader, the cadres are yet to see his magic catalysing political possibilities into opportunities.
Though the party, floating rudderless after the death of its powerful leader, has been suffering one setback after the other, cadres hope for a revival in 2024.
The party has not made any significant impact in any of the recent elections. The Kongu leader always listed excuses to wriggle out. But now that he is the sole decision maker the onus of guiding his party to power has become his responsibility.
Trash to cash, Rajasthan police 'waist' strategy and more
SONS OF TOIL
The story of villages in Haveri is no different. Like other mofussil places, Haveri has become a geriatric colony with its youth migrating to bigger cities to keep their hearts burning.
But this poll season, the orphaned generation of Haveri suddenly has a problem with the plenty as 'many' sons are queuing up at its doors. They are knocking at the doors for blessings of elders for their victory in the coming elections.
Their 'applications for adoption' are the handbills they leave in front of doors. Interestingly these are not biological sons of Haveri parents but ticket aspirants hoping to win from this reserved constituency. Most of them don't belong to Haveri. But the wise generation of this village seems to have turned a deaf ear to the constant knocks which, of course, is a seasonal phenomenon.
Monday, April 10, 2023 at 3:51 am