Agrawal’s induction into BJP in Delhi came on a day when another SP veteran — Ashok Bajpai — filed nomination papers for Rajya Sabha as BJP candidate in Lucknow.
While Samajwadi Party (SP) is smarting under BJP’s decision to induct its Rajya Sabha member Naresh Agrawal into the party, some party leaders are chuckling over a minor detail the BJP seems to have ignored. Agrawal’s induction into BJP in Delhi came on a day when another SP veteran — Ashok Bajpai — filed nomination papers for Rajya Sabha as BJP candidate in Lucknow. Agrawal and Bajpai both belong to Hardoi district, and they constantly bickered over their supremacy in the region while in SP. But Agrawal managed to have a better deal in SP, which seems to have reversed now that both are in BJP — while Bajpai will be a BJP Rajya Sabha member, Agrawal will cease to be an MP when he retires from Rajya Sabha next month.
Eyeball To Eyeball
Gone are the days when political rivals, who contest fiercely inside the House, did not hesitate to maintain civil courtesies in their personal ties. Parliament witnessed an awkward moment on Monday when BJP president Amit Shah and his Congress counterpart, Rahul Gandhi, happened to cross each other’s path — Shah was entering Parliament building through gate number 4 when Gandhi was stepping out of the same entrance. The two came face to face, but they neither greeted each other nor acknowledged the other’s presence. Rahul turned his head away and Shah too walked on, as if he did not see the Congress leader.
Spring In March
The farmers’ march to Mumbai seemed to have created a new friendship in Parliament. On Monday, when CPI leader D Raja was outside Parliament House, a senior Shiv Sena leader approached him and said, “See, we have done everything for the protest the Left has organised. We have not only supported their demands but also facilitated food, water and stay for the protesting farmers.” For the Sena, which is miffed with the BJP and has initiated talks about quitting the NDA, throwing its weight behind the protesting farmers appeared to be a “smart political move”, party leaders said.