Leaders Switching Sides, Dinner Diplomacy & Rebellions Shake Up State Politics

Fair weather friend

Party-hopping is an everyday occurrence in politics. But the corridors of power are echoed with the murmurs of a politician who often changes his masters. He has changed his master several times in the past 20 years. This leader changes his boss to suit his needs. And a few know when he gets closer to someone in power. Once he got too chummy with a former BJP chief minister and used to follow him in every step. But when the CM was out of power, this BJP leader changed his boss.

He befriended a former general secretary of the organization and a former president of the party’s state unit. Because these people had been out of the mainstream of power, he was close to a present union minister and former chief minister for a long time. When the former chief minister was in power, the politician enjoyed his support. But as soon as the former CM was out of power, the politician changed sides and befriended another powerful leader. The politician follows the maxim: Jahan Dum Wahan Hum (I always love to be with power).

Golmaal hai bhai…!

Many things are said about a Congress leader, who, instead of raising certain important issues in the Assembly, talks about them outside the House.  At the beginning of the assembly session, the opposition announced it would vociferously put up certain issues in the House. Nevertheless, he is protesting against the government outside the assembly in preference to taking the ruling party to task on the floor of the House. He is also complaining to the probe agencies against the ruling dispensation. Now, the party insiders wanted to know the reasons behind the delay in raising the issues in the House – though he was tearing into the government outside the Assembly over many things. Those who are close to this leader say had he raised those questions at the beginning of the session, the ruling party would have stopped the House proceedings. But the delay in raising such important issues in the House has damaged him politically. There are reports that because of his style of functioning, he is losing respect in the eyes of the party high command in Delhi.

Dinner politics

The Congress and the BJP threw a dinner party on the same day. A former chief minister of the Congress took part in the House session for just two days. He was present in the House and met some leaders of the party. The former chief minister then dined with other legislators of the party and returned home afterwards.

The activities of this leader indicate that he wants to remain relevant in state politics. So, he is in touch with the party leaders. On the same day, the head of the state threw a party and watched a film with BJP legislators. Many leaders were seen at the dinner. On the other hand, many were absent from it. But for political strategies, anything else hardly figured in the discussion at the dinner where new political equations were seen coming about in the state BJP.

Legislator’s rebellion

A BJP legislator has rebelled against a senior leader of the party. The glimpses of it were clear during the assembly session. The legislator raised such a question in the House that was directly connected with the leader. Afterwards, he raised another question which the government was trying to solve by monitoring it at a higher level. By putting up a question in the House, the legislator brought the issue back to the limelight. The legislator and the Congress leaders were on the same platform over the issue. The legislator and the leader come from the same area, and their political discord is well known to all. Now, the legislator is out of that place, but he is active there. A few leaders of the BJP are supporting the legislator. So, he has picked a direct fight against the leader.    

Real Excalibur!

Ability to converse aptly is the real Excalibur of the modern world that can win many a battle. This is what the people in the corridors of power witnessed during the assembly session. A Congress legislator used his communication skill so well that the questions he raised caught the ruling party’s attention.

Finding only just a way out, the government fulfilled all his demands. As well as suspending a policeman in his constituency on his request, the government sanctioned a huge sum for constructing a road in his area. The way he presents his views in the House has stunned many ruling party legislators who hardly find enough time to express theirs. Now, they want to know the reasons behind the secret of his success. But more interesting than his way of speaking is the fact that he was once an elected representative of the ruling party.

Forgetting past

The guests at a wedding ceremony saw a leader of the ruling party, who was once with the Congress, easily mingling with his old chums belonging to the grand old party. The wedding function was organised in a district in the Bundelkhand region of the state. The leader was there to attend the wedding ceremony of the daughter of a former legislator who is a brother of a current legislator of the ruling party.

As soon as he reached the venue, his old pals gave him a warm welcome. There was barely an iota of animosity towards him. A large number of ruling party legislators, also present on the occasion, avoided meeting the leader. 

A few leaders of the grand old party kept their bosses posted about this development. The top leaders may act on this piece of information.