Off The Record - June 15, 2020

Speak up

Congress is harnessing its beefed-up virtual presence to hunt for spokespersons to represent the party on television debates. The grand old party has asked its faithful followers to post short videos creating awareness about issues raised by the party from time to time. The participants have to post videos on social media platforms using #SpeakUpWarriors or mail it to [e-mail]. The best videos will be posted by the Congress on its various social media accounts and consistent campaigners may even get a chance to represent the party as a media panelist on news television debates.

Sagar Kulkarni, New Delhi

Unmasked joy

Even as the COVID-19 cases in Madhya Pradesh have risen above 10,000, the spread of the pandemic doesn’t seem to have deterred Jyotiraditya Scindia’s loyalists ahead of the by-elections due in September. On Friday, cabinet minister Govind Singh Rajput boisterously paraded his supporters in Sagar, flagrantly violating social distancing norms. Rajput, who quit the Congress with Scindia in March, organised a public function where his loyalists from his Surkhi assembly constituency took BJP membership. The supporters, most of them not wearing masks, jostled with one another to flash the victory sign with Rajput who was also without mask.

Rakesh Dixit, Bhopal

Mudslinging time

Governor Jagdeep Dhankar and the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal do not leave a chance to target each other. The latest bout came after Dhankar expressed anguish over a video showing COVID-19 victims’ bodies being disposed of in a disrespectfully. The Trinamool countered, saying that Dhankar was publicising fake videos shared by BJP IT Cell. They said they were only engaging because “twitter-happy, headline hungry” governor has crossed the line. TMC’s RS leader Derek O’Brien led the charge, asking why Dhankar remained silent about states like Gujarat where he claims patients were declared virus-free without tests. O’Brien answered the question claiming that Dhankar was the new spokesperson appointed by the BJP to set a new narrative in Bengal ahead of Assembly elections.

Shemin Joy, New Delhi

The muse

Three senior Mumbai-based journalists have penned books on the same topic --the split of the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance and formation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government that comprises Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress. The books are “35 Days: How Maharashtra Politics Changed Forever In 2019’’ by Jitendra Dixit, “36 Days: A Political Chronicle of Ambition, Deception, Trust and Betrayal” by Kamlesh Sutar and “Checkmate: How BJP Won And Lost Maharashtra” by Sudhir Suryawanshi.

Mrityunjay Bose, Mumbai

Quick decision

Soon after Election Commission of India announced the schedule for Rajya Sabha elections, the Congress high-command hurriedly announced the candidature of senior leader Mallikarjuna Kharge from Karnataka without waiting for state unit recommendation. The party top brass is suspected to have thought that former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would recommend some other name. In fact, Siddaramaiah was batting for his loyalist and former Lok Sabha member from Bellary V S Ugrappa for Rajya Sabha.

Ajith Athrady, New Delhi

The digital age

Owing to lockdown norms, all political party meetings have also gone online, even if it the Congress or BJP or CPM. This has put many senior political party leaders, who are not familiar with the new technology, in a dilemma. Many have to depend on younger ones in the families to take part in the e-meetings. A senior Congress leader from Kerala lamented that it was for the first time in his career that he has to depend on his son for taking part in a meeting of top leaders.

Arjun Raghunath, Thiruvananthapuram