Ram Gopal Yadav
Lok Sabha Plans?
While Ram Gopal Yadav remains a senior Rajya Sabha member and carries enough significance within the Samajwadi Party to bag a Rajya Sabha renomination whenever needed, his public meetings over the weekend have triggered speculation on his next move. Yadav addressed two public functions in Sambhal Lok Sabha constituency over the weekend. Given that his Rajya Sabha term comes up for renewal only in 2020, Yadav’s foray in Sambhal has led to speculation on whether he is planning to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from there. Yadav has represented Sambhal in Lok Sabha once. Party sources said the Bahujan Samaj Party will not stake claim to this seat if Yadav plans to contest from there under the alliance.
Still In Effect
Under pressure from Dalit MPs, the BJP-led NDA government has decided to challenge a High Court ruling that formed the basis for the UGC circular adversely impacting the reservation in faculty recruitment in universities. But the said UGC circular still remains in force as it has not yet been withdrawn. The bureaucratic argument is that withdrawing it will be contempt of court. So now everyone is waiting for the filing of the SLP to challenge that High Court ruling before that circular is withdrawn. With the Supreme Court reopening after four holidays, all eyes are on government’s SLP in the apex court this week.
Once Bitten
Having suffered the combined might of identity-based social justice politics championed by Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar in the 2015 assembly elections, the Bihar BJP is alert not to let go of flaunting its commitment towards social justice. With LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan planning to organise B R Ambedkar’s birth anniversary celebrations in Patna on April 14, state BJP leaders are learnt to have decided to join the function. Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Sushil Modi will represent the BJP at the event where Paswan has invited JDU chief Nitish Kumar as well as RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha.