All’s Well In the Parivar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Nagpur at the end of March had been in the works for a while. The travel schedules of the prime minister and RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat had to be coordinated to ensure both were present in Nagpur on the given day. Since the public appearance of the RSS head and the prime minister together was a rare occurrence, the functions at the Smriti Mandir (memorial) of RSS founder KB Hedgewar and the foundation stone-laying ceremony for a new wing at the Madhav Netralaya saw the list of speakers limited to just Modi, Bhagwat and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis while Nagpur MP and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari was in attendance. The events and the apparent bonhomie between Modi and Bhagwat put paid to speculation of a rift between the Sangh and BJP after the 2024 Lok Sabha results. Statements by some RSS leaders, including Bhagwat, had created the impression that the Sangh was displeased with the way BJP was functioning. The air was cleared by some frank discussions about BJP’s policies and the Sangh’s functioning. The glum mood in Hindutva circles was dispelled by BJP registering significant victories in Haryana—where it returned to office for a record third term—and in Maharashtra where the party’s dominating performance delivered a handsome win to the Mahayuti (BJP-Ajit Pawar-Eknath Shinde alliance). Winning the ideological battle against Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena was a major boost and BJP leaders had no hesitation in accepting the contribution of Sangh volunteers. BJP winning Delhi was the icing on the cake. The sequence of events and some urgent backroom communication led to the picture of unity in Nagpur.

Nitish Clears the Air

JD(U) seems to have made a point about the stability of its alliance with BJP. The party, as has been its practice, held a Ramzan Iftar attended by Muslim organisations and notables despite criticism that it was not making its stand on the amendments to the Waqf Bill known. Some Muslim outfits stayed away. But many attended and JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar welcomed all guests. Soon after Kumar and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were at a public event where the chief minister said there was no question of parting ways with BJP again. This was followed by JD(U) supporting the Waqf bill, arguing that its amendments had been accepted. The BJP-JD(U) alliance, ahead of state polls later in the year, is rock solid.

House Talk

A lot of speculation goes around when Parliament is in session. MPs and leaders exchange notes among themselves and with the media as well. Just as the numbers in support of the Waqf Bill were being totalled, talk emerged that the ₹5 crore per year constituency development fund might be scrapped. The subject served to engage MPs in animated conversations and there were heated discussions as to whether such a step would indeed be taken. Some people felt that the BJP leadership has never been convinced of the utility of the fund while others believe the party bosses have other, more urgent fish to fry.

Odisha Day

The Odisha government led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi will soon be completing a year in office and this year’s state day celebrations held in New Delhi saw him leading the proceedings. The event was attended by several union ministers and state leaders. A cultural evening highlighted Odisha’s rich heritage and traditions while an exhibition was organised to showcase handicrafts, hand-woven fabrics and places of tourist interest along with the state’s varied cuisines. BJP’s surprise victory in Odisha was followed by the choice of Majhi, a relatively low-profile but successful politician from the tribal community, being made chief minister.

Security Success

Delhi Police and CISF breathed a sigh of relief as the Budget Session of Parliament came to a close. Enhanced security issues have been in focus ever since a couple of individuals jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber in December 2023. The tabling of the Waqf Bill warranted strict security screening given the virulent opposition to the legislation from some individuals and organisations. Gallery passes were scrutinised carefully and quotas distributed to BJP state unit chiefs while requests from Opposition leaders were also scanned for background checks.

Fast Responder

The appointment of Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer Nidhi Tewari as the prime minister’s private secretary breaches a glass ceiling with the post being usually manned by male officers. There are a fair number of women officers in the PMO though and this has been the case for a while. The Manmohan Singh PMO had women officers at middle and senior levels, at ranks of director, deputy secretary, and joint secretary. The name boards at the current PMO also reflect a similar presence of women officers. The prime minister usually has two private secretaries and Tewari will be in a role that typically demands quick responses to developing situations and effective communication of the prime minister’s instructions.

Indian politicsMohan BhagwatMohan Charan MajhiNarendra ModiNitish KumarRSS-BJP