The office of Vice President Venkaiah Naidu did not spare a moment to get stalwart JDU rebels, Sharad Yadav and Anwar Ali, out of the Rajya Sabha. That’s the rule, he’d argue. It is interesting, therefore, that cancelling the membership of former Trinamool Congress MP Mukul Roy’s Rajya Sabha membership is still hanging fire, and despite the fact TMC president Mamata Banerjee has repeatedly demanded this. Likewise, it has been long since the once close confidant of ‘Bahenji’ Mawayati, Nasimuddin, had quit BSP, but he remains a Rajya Sabha member, with all pleas to get him to vacate the seat falling on Naidu’s deaf ears. His orders are coming from a different source.

There could be announcements of several names as Governors to the states, after the Gujarat elections. Anandiben Patel and Shankar Singh Vaghela’s names were already floating about. The new one that has taken wings is that of Naresh Rawal, who quit the Congress just ahead of the polls and joined BJP!

Rahul Gandhi and the Congress’ self-confidence on the social media front has seen a major up ever since it has gotten in touch with an American company. Rahul these days is enjoying his presence on social media and twitterbaazi. Meanwhile, the BJP, which had been upending the Congress on the social media so far, has started realising that the platform has its limitations and can even be a source of problems. This is why in the recent election campaigns for the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh state assemblies, the party has been more insistent on door-to-door mass contact campaigns. It seems that the benefits accruing from this has been proved in Himachal Pradesh, and the same is going on in Gujarat, and the sweeping victory of the party at the municipal polls in UP puts a stamp of success on this tactic.

Every time the sun rises, a new story of corruption is scripted in Bihar. It has recently come to light that an NGO linked to a sitting MP of the BJP had been allocated Rs 9 crore for making toilets in rural areas a few years ago, but nothing has come of it so far. The issue reached the courts and the district magistrate himself gave a written undertaking to the court of recovering the money from the NGO. But who cares! The MP is so powerful that even in the face of such a scam, the government has sanctioned his NGO more money to build toilets in Arrah and Buxar districts of the state.

Ever since the once most trusted lieutenant of Mamata Banerjee has joined the BJP, he has become a full scale Delhiite. Not only has he ditched his city of origin Kolkata, he has in fact deleted his name from the city’s voters’ list and has enrolled himself as a voter in Delhi. Sources say that he is likely to file a high-priced defamation case in Delhi, which is possible only if he is a Delhi voter.

There are two judges in Patna High Court whose fathers are practicing lawyers. It is learnt that one of the judges had requested that since his father practices in the state High Court, he, the judge, ought not to be posted there. So he was posted to Delhi High Court. But recently, the same judge desired to be transferred to Patna, and his wish was granted, though his father is still practicing there. Meanwhile, sources say that the other High Court judge whose father is also a lawyer, has told the latter that he can only practice in the lower courts in the state, not the High Court. So the obedient father does not enter the portals of the High Court.

The social media is abuzz with campaigns by every party telling its followers to press the button with their party symbol. “Press ‘Hand’ and the vote will come to us,” says Congress, likewise, SP is telling its voters to press the ‘Cycle’ button; and the BSP says they should press the ‘Elephant’ button. But the BJP is unmoved… ‘press whichever button you want… the power of the EVM… well’.

Once upon a time in Gujarat, the Congress’ almighty Ahmed Patel was the supreme authoritarian. He was the sole decision-maker on all major issues related to the state. But ever since the change in throne supremacy of the party has started shaping up, and Rahul Gandhi has taken-over the decision maker’s spot from Sonia, Patel’s aura has been over-shadowed. The pro-Dalit-Muslim Congress of Gujarat has this time shifted its focus to Hindutva. This has upset the Muslim community in the state, but they remain stuck with the party wondering where else would they go?
On the other hand, in his new found love for Hindutva, Rahul has yet neither visited any ‘dargah’ and performed any ‘azaans’, nor does he intend to. In contrast, Rahul is now orbiting the walls of temples and very much inclined to prove himself as a ‘true Hindu’. The first list of Congress has been released and only two Muslim candidates have been given tickets. In fact, Alpesh Thakore, Jignesh Mavani and Hardik Patel’s choices have booked higher number of slots. Majority of the Muslim population in the state considers the Patidars as the biggest villain of the Gujarat riots, yet Rahul is busy pleasing Hardik. The ritual of politics is unique – often the new interests fade out the old.

Vibhav Kant Upadhyay and Japan go way back in time. Vibhav is the Chairman of India Center Foundation and he has direct access to not only Japan’s official system, but also the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Since Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s time, he has a direct entry in the PMO. He was in very close terms with Sudheendra Kulkarni during Vajpayee’s tenure. He was also close to Sam Pitroda during the Congress reign. He was at his supreme during the Manmohan government. When Narendra Modi became the Chief Minister of Gujarat, ever since then Vibhav has been in terms with him too. It is said that Modi’s first meet with Japanese PM was arranged by Vibhav himself. Since then Vibhav was a regular passenger of CM Modi’s chartered-flight.
In a bid to boost the Indo-Japanese business relations, Vibhav initiated the India Japan Global Partnership Summit back in 2000. Coming month, the summit is once again scheduled to take place. Many corporate biggies and Union Ministers had in advance nodded their presence. But in a turn of events, going by the sources, a lead Japanese Bank has lodged a complaint with PM Modi against Vibhav. Post, which, the CEO of Soft Bank Rajiv Mishra has met up with the PM. Soft Bank is a major investor in India and put in more than Rs 25,000 crore till now in the nation. Henceforth, following the complaint, sources suggest that Modi’s view has changed towards Vibhav and, not surprisingly, it seems that many prominent Union Ministers have since then expressed their inability to join the summit next month. Sources say that a hurt Vibhav approached Nitin Gadkari in search of shelter, but the latter too has separated himself from this matter.

JDU has always contested its candidates in Gujarat elections, and despite being in alliance with the NDA, Nitish has always visited Gujarat for campaigning in favor of his party. Similarly, this time too JDU has its candidates on the field but in a new Nitish is exhibiting no interest in campaigning. At the same time, BJP wants Nitish to visit the poll-bound state and campaign against Congress, but a shrewd Nitish seems to be avoiding the advice. The BJP suspects that Nitish is playing safe and has one door open for the Congress so if need may come, he can switch sides.