Pioneer- Dilli Billi - '13th.June.10'

NEW BOSS MEANS CHANGE
Last week was the week of speculations and great activity in the capital. The Congress Rajya Sabha’s aspirants were trying desperately to seek the attention of the Gandhi family while in the BJP it was only Advani and Arun Jaitely who mattered. In the Congress many thought that loyalty to the family would count while others thought it was hardwork and deliverance that will see them through. In the Congress and BJP it seems are on the same footing. It is a mix of all three - loyalty, hardwork and deliverance.
Several Congress Ministers of UPA-II had to be adjusted. They may have had to leave their home states and go to other states like Jairam Ramesh and Anand Sharma. All these leaders who have been adjusted in the Upper House are bright, intelligent and deliver. From the BJP also the choices had been good but one just cannot understand why Ram Jethmalani wants to stay on as Rajya Sabha member and why would BJP need him so badly. Whenever Ram Jethmalani’s Rajya Sabha tenure comes to an end he makes new friends and manages to get another six years term. Well, obviously the BJP and RSS need this eminent lawyer with them. This time when he retires he will be ninety three.
The other major announcement last week was of the National Advisory Committee. After enough speculations about the members in the board who have nothing to do with politics or politicians but are all assets in their own fields. It is evident that there will be clashes between the NAC and Government policies. The NAC members are all very strong willed and in some cases do not see eye to eye to the Government policies. They will not hesitate to express their views and will stick to their ideologies. Mrs.Gandhi and the Prime Minister may have some serious and embarrassing situations to face on this issue.
People in the capital are now waiting for the long overdue AICC re-shuffle and the UPA cabinet re-shuffle. A lot of General Secretaries who are holding also Union Cabinet post will have to give up one post. So, loyalists who were not adjusted in the Rajya Sabha may become a part of AICC. These are exercises which will leave many disalluioned and upset as some choices made may not be very suited to them. They may think that they were more deserving than the people put in their places. But the system of both these major political parties has changed ever since Rahul Gandhi and Gadkari took over. Rahul of course is more matter of fact now while Gadkari is still fumbling between Advani and the RSS. New parameters have been set for selection. The elder politicians are a bit insecure with these new jet-set politicians coming in under the two new bosses. You need to change with time and you need to change with new bosses. The cleverer lot has understood this and has immediately changed to satisfy their new leaders. It is a difficult change to the older lot but they will have to change themselves with time and new style of functioning.