Man, his father-in-law
The minister’s son and his relative (the son’s father-in-law) are creating troubles for the department the minister is heading. The minister’s son calls up the officers of the department and demands cabbage from them. He harasses the officers who cannot fulfil his demands. The minister has no control over his son. So, most of the time, the minister does not know that his son has taken carrots from the officers. By putting pressure on an officer, the minister’s son has arranged for a backhander.
According to the arrangement, some transporters have been asked to give him a fixed amount. Similarly, the department has ensured that these transporters regularly get work. The father-in-law of the minister’s son has also become active in the department. He is making trips to different parts of the state to take a bribe from the officers and employees. The conduct of the minister’s son and his father-in-law has rattled the officials of the department. They think that if they make a mistake because of the pressure, their troubles may increase.
Top leader’s trip
Most of the BJP leaders had set their eyes on the national organisational general secretary’s trip to the state. The leader came from Delhi to take feedback on the functioning of the party and the government in MP. He also had a one-to-one interaction with a few leaders of the state. During the interaction, he took feedback about the state. There are reports that many leaders of the party are trying to gather information about what transpired between the national organisational secretary and other leaders during the one-to-one discussion.
Other than the people in the government and the party, the leader also took feedback from the RSS functionaries. There may be a meeting in Delhi to discuss the feedback that the leader took about the state. A woman leader who intends to become a minister met this leader. Although she was not assured of a ministerial berth, she was happy with the fact that he gave her time instead of the senior leaders.
Ministerial aspirations
Many senior legislators of the ruling party in MP have started dreaming of becoming ministers after the cabinet expansion in Chhattisgarh. The top leaders of the BJP have also come to know that resentment is brewing among the legislators of the party in MP. To quell the anger, the party’s top leadership is planning to adjust a few legislators to some places. A few legislators are trying to get cabinet berths.
There are reports that a legislator is using his clout in Delhi to become a minister. The legislator recently met some senior leaders of the party in Delhi. He is also using his clout in the RSS for a ministerial berth. He believes that he will get a berth in the ministry during its expansion in the coming days. The legislator is on good terms with the powerful leaders of the BJP and important functionaries of the RSS. Now, he wants early cabinet expansion to get a berth.
Lawyer cornered
The state government held an all-party meeting for the first time on an important issue. Besides the leader of the Opposition, other leaders were invited to the meeting. It was heard that a Congress leader took a lawyer to task over an issue. When the lawyer was putting up his points, the Congress leader enquired about an affidavit that the advocate had submitted in the court. The question asked by the Congress leader shocked the lawyer. Afterwards, he put up certain questions over the issue, which unnerved the advocate. As the head of state saw the condition of the legal expert, he intervened in it, saying, “Khag ki Bhasa Khag Hi Jane (only two peas of the same pod can appreciate each other).” By using the proverb, the head of state controlled the situation, but the meeting benefited the government because the issue over which the opposition was cornering them was cleverly set aside.
Deepening proximity
A politician who plays an important role in the state Congress is deepening his closeness with all politicians. He is meeting all important leaders of the party and interacting with his adversary, who is also a senior leader of the party. It is heard that he is taking advice from the adversary over the phone. He is also in touch with another senior leader of the party. The politician hopes if the Congress forms a government in the future, he will be one of the claimants to the chief ministerial position. This is the reason that he is trying to get the support of the important leaders of the party. He is close to the ruling party leaders as well. He is on good terms with a few BJP leaders against whom he never issues any statement. After deepening his proximity with BJP and Congress leaders, he is getting closer to the bureaucrats to get his work done.
Low-key affair
A powerful leader of the ruling party has decided to make his birthday a low-key affair. He also advised his party workers against putting up any posters and hoardings on the occasion. His message was clear that all other party leaders, too, should keep away from celebrating their birthdays in a big way. The message has put the other leaders of the party in a fix, because such leaders, in trying to become a minister, celebrate their birthdays with pageantry. Contrary to the leader’s advice, a legislator from the state capital celebrated his birthday with grandeur.
The roads leading to his office were teeming with posters and banners. People in the corridors of power chinwag about the way the birthday bash was organised. It indicates the senior leader’s advice to keep birthdays a low-key affair fell on deaf ears. The leader, who has advised his party leaders against organising birthday bashes, stays away from his constituency on his birthdays so that his supporters may not celebrate the occasion.
