Mamata is for triple talaq, against UCC
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is all set to oppose the banning of triple talaq and Uniform Civil Code being promoted by the Centre, apparently because she does not want government to interference into the personal laws of Muslims. Whatever change has to be done should be done by the Muslims themselves. Muslims are her core constituency and she cannot afford to alienate the community so she has asked former minister Sultan Ahmad to hold meetings in various parts of the state and tell the Muslims not to worry the banning of triple talaq or UCC implementation. She has been saying in private that she will not allow Narendra Modi to play with the sentiments of the minorities.
Vasundhara is lying low
Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, who is recovering from chikungunya, is lying low. Her son Dushyant has just lost the election for the Doon School vice president’s post and many BJP leaders and workers have defected to the Congress in Rajasthan. Her astrologers have told her that her “raj yog” has got exhausted and she should not expect to return to power ever again, instead she should seek a constitutional position when she is in her 70s. A senior reporter related to one of the astrologers, leaked the information to a major local newspaper.
Sonia will get an extension
Come 7 November, Sonia Gandhi will get her second extension as Congress president. On Monday, the Congress Working Committee is likely to grant her another extension for a year. Last year, on 8 September, the CWC had granted her a one-year extension. She is already the longest serving party president after having taken over the reins of the party in 1998. This extension is being given apparently because Rahul Gandhi is busy with elections in five states. But if the buzz is to be believed, the Congress leadership is watching his performance. If he fails to deliver, the Congress leadership may then have a rethink.
Kishor on his way out of Cong
Congress strategist Prashant Kishor seems to be on his way out. In the party’s last Uttar Pradesh election strategy session conducted by Priyanka Vadra, Pradesh Congress Committee leaders were quite relieved to see that Kishor was not there. Congress leaders have been wondering how a “technical man” could strategise the political campaign of an over 100-year-old party. Kishor too is unhappy that he has to handle so many leaders, especially when Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar gave him a free hand. He is now looking for fresh pastures. In a major development on Tuesday, Amar Singh took Kishor to meet Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Congress may split in Jharkhand
The Congress in Jharkhand is likely to split. On Wednesday, the PCC chief, Sukhdev Bhagat convened a meeting in which out of seven MLAs, only two were present. Around half of the 24 district presidents too boycotted the meeting. Rahul Gandhi met the PCC leaders to broker peace.
Nitish did not go to Mulayam conclave
Nitish Kumar did not attend the Samajwadi Party-organised conclave in Lucknow on Saturday. The JDU took the decision after much deliberation. However, it was also decided that since Nitish was the proponent of the “Grand Alliance”, it would not be proper to boycott the event. So Sharad Yadav was offered as a token presence. Nitish and K.C. Tyagi stayed away on the pretext of Chhat celebrations in Bihar. Nitish Kumar has been saying in private that Mulayam cannot be trusted.