Discussion intensifies over Shivraj’s name for BJP President
After a few weeks of silence, a new name for the position of BJP president, that of Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has once again sparked interest within the party. This discussion stems from a recent meeting between RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Chouhan that took place last weekend. According to BJP sources, the two met at the RSS headquarters in New Delhi for nearly 45 minutes. Party sources suggest that the meeting is significant because it marks Chouhan's first meeting with Bhagwat in almost two years. This indicates that the agriculture minister may be assigned a new role soon.
It is well-known that Chouhan is a favorite of the RSS, and his name had been considered for the BJP president’s post after he stepped down as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh last year. However, due to the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the election for the new party president was postponed, and current president JP Nadda was granted an extension. Nadda’s tenure was extended because RSS and Prime Minister Narendra Modi couldn’t reach a consensus on the next BJP president’s name.
While, on the surface, the BJP president is elected by the party, it is no secret that the final choice is made after consultation with the RSS. This tradition has been followed even during the tenure of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was given complete freedom to choose the BJP president after leading the party to its first majority government at the center. Even after winning a second consecutive term, the decision remained in his hands. However, after BJP's failure to secure a majority in 2024, it seems that the RSS has decided to strengthen its position and restore the tradition.
There are expectations within BJP circles that a new president will be announced immediately after the Vice President elections on September 9. It is significant that CP Radhakrishnan, a loyal RSS worker, has been chosen as the NDA’s candidate for the Vice President post. This choice is seen as an olive branch to the RSS from the Modi-Shah duo to break the deadlock over the BJP president's appointment.
Jagdeep Dhankhar to Be Temporarily Homeless
It seems that former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar will be temporarily homeless for some time. Since he left office two years ahead of schedule, the Modi government has been unable to arrange official housing for him as per the rules. A bungalow has been tentatively allocated, but it is currently occupied by a central minister. If Dhankhar agrees to move into this bungalow, the eviction process for the current minister will begin, followed by repairs to accommodate Dhankhar’s needs. This process may take several months. In the interim, Dhankhar will have to choose between temporary government accommodation and private housing. This is clearly an unprecedented situation.
India’s Richest Chief Minister: Chandrababu Naidu
A recent survey on the wealth of Indian Chief Ministers has revealed some interesting figures. It appears that the richest Chief Ministers are, in order, Andhra Pradesh’s Chandrababu Naidu, Arunachal Pradesh’s Pema Khandu, and Karnataka’s Siddaramaiah. On the other hand, the poorest are West Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee, Jammu and Kashmir’s Omar Abdullah, and Kerala’s Pinarayi Vijayan. The difference between the wealth of the richest and the poorest is significant. Naidu’s wealth is reported to exceed ₹931 crores, while Mamata, by political standards, is almost destitute with assets worth only ₹15 lakh. Another noteworthy detail from the survey is that despite political parties taking an oath for women’s empowerment, India has only two female Chief Ministers: Mamata Banerjee of West Bengal and Rekha Gupta of New Delhi. Clearly, politics remains a male-dominated stronghold.
Maharashtra Deputy CM Shinde Still Upset
Almost a year after the formation of the Mahayuti government under Fadnavis’ leadership in Maharashtra, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde remains upset. The latest example of his discontent came when he skipped several important meetings chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis this month. The first instance was on August 13, when Shinde missed a cabinet meeting because he was vacationing in Srinagar. However, a week later, he missed another meeting, even though he was in Mumbai. He also didn’t attend review meetings called by Fadnavis or public events where the Chief Minister was the chief guest. It’s no surprise that speculations about a crisis in the ruling Mahayuti alliance have resurfaced.