Sanjay Jha, the national spokesperson of the Congress, might have bitten more than he could chew by lecturing the top leadership on how to revive the party. His sermons came in the form of a newspaper article in March this year, followed by yet another lecture last week that left veterans enraged. The whispers are that somebody who entered the Congress circle later than most veterans is now publicly condemning the leadership’s attitude and offering a blueprint for revival, presuming that those who have been in politics for three-four decades are incapable of understanding contemporary challenges. Although most leaders ignored his behaviour earlier since he was supposed to be close to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, his sermons triggered so much unrest in the party that punitive action will be taken against him. His continuance as national spokesperson is impossible, but there are also demands for his removal from the party itself. Yet, a section of the Congress also wants to protect him, arguing that he was making genuine points. His decision to go public with his criticism,though, has not been appreciated by those at the top. Jha, who is the executive director of the Mumbai-based Dale Carnegie and a communications expert — who, ironically, even trained Congressmen in how to deal with the media — will soon realize the complexities of politics.
Silver lining
After spending two weeks in a plush Gurgaon hospital, the Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson, Sambit Patra, is back on TV screens, albeit virtually: screaming and shouting at political opponents. Patra was admitted to Medanta hospital, reportedly after showing symptoms of Covid-19 around late May. The 45-year-old politician who shot into limelight because of his TV appearances and controversial remarks claims he is a “Surgeon by Profession and Politician by Passion”. After spending two weeks in hospital, earlier this week Patra announced on Twitter that he has recovered and is back home but will take some more time to recover fully.
In the corridors of power, however, Patra’s hospitalization generated all kinds of whispers. People discussed how it came in time and saved Patra in a police case against him in Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh. The Chhattisgarh High Court directed the state police not to take any coercive action against Patra, taking into cognizance the fact that he had just recovered from Covid-19 and was in home quarantine. Patra had moved the high court seeking the quashing of FIRs against him over his controversial comments against Jawaharlal Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi.
Unheard voices
Buoyed by the success of the ‘SpeakUpIndia’ campaign on social media, the Congress leadership has invited common people to send videos showing failure or apathy of the Narendra Modi government from different parts of the country. The party feels that the displacement of millions of workers during the lockdown, massive job losses and the healthcare crisis will generate countless stories of human interest. While it is difficult for a political party to reach out to every distressed person and tap every voice of dissent, local activists and aggrieved persons may feel encouraged to voice their concerns using the Congress platforms. Interesting videos will be uploaded on social media and some people will even be given certificates for being SpeakUpIndia warriors. What is better — the project costs very little.
Softly spoken
The Kerala state Congress president, Mullappally Ramachandran, has been trying too hard to make himself heard over the din created by his own party. With leader of the Opposition, Ramesh Chennithala — technically the most powerful Congress leader in the state — hogging all the limelight with his incessant campaign against the Left government, Ramachandran has been trying hard to shed his soft-spoken self to be the alpha male in the state unit.
Duel without pistols
A full-blown war of words has broken out between the governor of West Bengal, Jagdeep Dhankhar, and the ruling party, the Trinamul Congress, with the former now taking on party MPs on Twitter and also TV channels. The TMC, too, is returning fire with the party leader in the Rajya Sabha, Derek O’ Brien, calling Dhankhar ‘BJP’s new spokesperson’. According to O’ Brien, the governor is now working in double shift for the BJP; graduating from being just a Twitter warrior to TV channels.
Shut shop
Delhi’s Khan Market — a thorn in the side of the ruling dispensation at the Centre, with the PM himself scorning its well-heeled regulars as the ‘Khan Market Gang’ — is facing the brunt of the economic slowdown. Several popular eating joints and an iconic bookstore are shutting shop, making many wonder if this could signal another change in the character of the colonial era shopping place and the complete takeover of Lutyens’ Delhi by the right-wing — ironically, leading lights of the right-wing frequent the market as often as the so-called gang.
FOOTNOTE
The former prime minister, HD Deve Gowda, has been keeping himself fit, especially for an 87-year-old, with a trainer visiting him frequently to ensure that age does not wither him. Now that Gowda is on the verge of entering the Rajya Sabha thanks to Sonia Gandhi, his friends and foes have realized the importance of staying physically and mentally fit. The leader known for his love for farmers is expected to make quite a difference in the Upper House.
