The BJP’s highest decision-making body is the parliamentary board, responsible for broad policy in Parliament and state legislatures. Surprisingly, in the elite 11-member panel there are four vacancies. No appointments were made to fill vacancies due to deaths of Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj, elevation of Venkaiah Naidu as vice-president and retirement of Thaawarchand Gehlot as leader of the Rajya Sabha. The seven remaining members are Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, J P Nadda, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and B L Santhosh. In fact, after Covid, formal physical meetings are rare. Instead, the general practice is for an exchange of ideas only among the big three, Modi, Shah and Nadda. And the decision is communicated over the phone to other members. Although most members get little say in the running of the party, nevertheless a position on the board is much coveted. Followers of Yogi Adityanath have long speculated that he will soon join the prestigious body, but the UP CM, despite his spectacular victory, is still waiting.

Flagging Concern
The rules of the Archeological Survey of India are very rigid. No structure is permitted within 100 metres of the outer boundaries of its monuments. So when the entrance roundabout at Nizamuddin East was dug up to erect a 115-feet-high flagpole next to the 16th century Khan-i-Khanan tomb, the PWD was sent a notice to desist. They, however, refused to fall in line, even after a complaint was filed with the police. Apart from obstructing the view of the historic monument, the disproportionate flag post is an eyesore in the residential colony, particularly as it towers over a striking art installation by Anjolie Ela Menon. The ungainly flagpole is, however, unlikely to be removed since the Delhi CM wants to compete with the BJP in a wasteful xenophobic campaign. The Capital has budgeted Rs 104 crore for its deshbhakti programme which calls for putting up 500 flagpoles to counter the BJP’s rastravaadi campaign.

Losing Enthusiasm
Sharad Pawar indicated last week that he did not want to head any Opposition front, and added that no anti-BJP alliance was possible without the Congress. Actually, it was not Pawar who floated his name but Saamana editor Sanjay Raut, who these days appears closer to the NCP than the Shiv Sena. (In fact, Pawar even met Modi to protest his harassment by Enforcement Directorate authorities). Similarly, it was pollster Prashant Kishor who first floated the idea that Pawar would be an ideal choice for president. However, with the BJP’s decisive Assembly victories, the enthusiasm of all those promoting a political alternative to the BJP, including Mamata Banerjee, is missing. Incidentally, this parliamentary session the Congress avoided hosting Opposition floor strategy meetings, as it did in the past.

Tactical Moves
At the recent CWC meeting, many were taken aback when Rahul Gandhi remarked that the party’s prospects in Gujarat were bright. While the BJP’s position has weakened in Modi’s home state, the Congress is hardly well-placed to take it on, even if it is successful in wooing Naresh Patel, head of the Shree Khodaldham Trust. The Congress’s internal wrangling is less of a handicap than AAP’s growing popularity — its slogan to give it one chance is gaining traction. The BJP, meanwhile, has a time-tested formula up its sleeve. In September it got rid of CM Vijay Rupani and his Cabinet for non-performance and now most sitting MLAs may be axed for the same reason.

Loyalty Unrewarded
The Congress made it a matter of principle that it would field no defectors during the recent Goa Assembly elections. In the last Assembly, the party had been decimated by defections, with its strength eventually coming down from 17 to 2 MLAs. (Of the two MLAs, Pratapsingh Rane also turned turtle by refusing to stand for re-election and permitting his daughter-in-law to contest on a BJP ticket from his seat. There is now talk of him being appointed a governor.) But the last man standing in the Congress was not rewarded for his unwavering loyalty by being chosen as leader of the opposition in the Assembly. Michael Lobo, a BJP defector who helped the Congress secure four seats in Bardez taluka, including that of his wife Delilah, was appointed. Digambar Kamat was not even made Goa party chief to replace Girish Chodankar. His only reward was to be made a permanent invitee to the CWC. Recent events have shown that the committee’s role is largely of a cheer squad for the Gandhis.