Author: N D Sharma
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Vagaries of Akashvani (All India Radio)
Under the present dispensation, Akashvani has become whimsical. Programmes are started, dispensed with, renamed or disrupted abruptly, reminding of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s whimsical announcements of demonetisation and lockdown without any planning, forethought or preparations for the consequences likely to follow. One afternoon some weeks back the Bhopal station of Akashvani abruptly started relaying Punjabi…
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Why BJP downplays cross-voting by its MLA
Cross-voting by a BJP MLA in the June 19 Rajya Sabha polls in Madhya Pradesh has placed the party in an ugly situation. BJP always prides itself for discipline within the party but it has not initiated any action against the errant MLA even two days after he cross-voted. Rather, it is trying to pose…
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Chouhan reveals central leadership wanted Kamal Nath government to go
A leaked audio clip of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s speech before party workers makes it clear that Jyotiraditya Scindia’s loyalist 20-odd Congress MLAs had not voluntarily decided to bring down the Congress government of Kamal Nath but were lured, probably with money and other inducements, to act as they did by the…
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The day Jawaharlal Nehru died
During my Varanasi days a class mate, Bajrang Dev Dwivedi, had some work in Allahabad and he asked me to accompany him. We took the night (metre gauge) train reaching Allahabad in the morning. Put up in a guest house which did not serve lunch or dinner or any snacks. That was no problem as…
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How MP’s Chouhan sailed through spot where Gujarat’s Chudasma sank
The petition, which resulted in Gujarat minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasma’s election to the Assembly being declared null and void, had allegations similar to those levelled against Shivraj Singh Chouhan in 2005 — misuse of government machinery to win the election. How Chouhan had wriggled out of the ordeal without contesting the petition gives an insight into…
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Chouhan constitutes a notional cabinet under pressure
Two-sided pressure seemed to have forced Shivraj Singh Chouhan to constitute a five-member cabinet on Tuesday, almost a month after he was sworn in as Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. Three members of the cabinet — Narottam Mishra, Kamal Patel, and Meena Singh – were part of the last Chouhan cabinet. The other two, Tulsi…
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Madhya Pradesh now has an extra-constitutional body to aid and advise Chouhan
BJP has not been able to constitute a Council of Ministers in Madhya Pradesh to help Shivraj Singh Chouhan who has been Chief Minister since March 23, nor has it been able to approve of a name to be appointed as Health Minister. However, an extra-constitutional body has been set up by the party high…
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Is Chouhan Feeling More Comfortable Without Another Minister?
Shivraj Singh Chouhan was sworn in as Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh in the night of March 23. He has not so far formed his Council of Ministers; not even appointed Health Minister in spite of the raging coronavirus epidemic in the State. Cabinet formation is not easy for Chouhan as there are several aspirants…
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Modi cares, for ‘Funds’ only
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a penchant for exploring new avenues for collecting money from public. The latest is the surreptitious creation, on March 28, of ‘Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund’ or ‘PM CARES Fund’. A Press Information Bureau (PIB) release said: ‘Keeping in mind the need for having a…
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How coronavirus affected Madhya Pradesh Politics
Coronavirus has affected politics in Madhya Pradesh in a peculiar way. With Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia having defected to BJP and 22 Scindia loyalist MLAs in BJP’s ‘custody’ in a Bengaluru hotel, Congress tried to use coronavirus to prolong its stay in power. The budget session of the Assembly was to begin on March 16.…