Column

The Rajnath Singh camp is in a blue funk over the dismaying prospect of another unemployed party elder, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, rattling around in the Capital.

The former vice-president has been dropping dark hints about a return to active politics (read: the BJP) now that he no longer holds a constitutional position.

Perish the thought of cosy retirement in a sprawling Lutyens bungalow for this 82 year-old chieftain from Rajasthan. He believes he still has enough spark to take over the reins of his floundering party. It looks like the BJP is headed for another nightmarish round of infighting.

***

Singh’s plight is quite pitiable. He’s being squeezed by the ambitions of two generations. On one side he has five ageing super stars to contend with — Vajpayee, Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Jaswant Singh and now, Shekhawat.

On other side are the prima donnas of the BJP’s much-hyped Gen Next — Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Ananthkumar, Venkaiah Naidu and Narendra Modi.

None are reconciled to Singh’s lacklustre leadership. What’s making the BJP chief really insecure is the thought of a ganging up of some of the baiters.

The outlines of a possible lineup were evident during Shekhawat’s unsuccessful run for the post of President of India. Advani put the services of his troopers at Shekhawat’s disposal and Singh was left out in the cold.

The divide in the BJP was glaring. While Shekhawat’s cheerleaders went for Pratibha Patil’s jugular, Singh did not say a word against the UPA nominee.

Forget the larger political implications of the BJP’s humiliating defeat in the presidential poll. There are scores to settle within the party. Expect to see a series of explosions, major and minor, as the warring factions slug it out.

***

Unlike the president who has to vacate Rashtrapati Bhavan as soon as he/she demits office, the outgoing vice-president has the luxury of staying on in the official residence on Maulana Azad Road till his/her retirement bungalow is ready for occupation.

Shekhawat stayed in a suite in Hyderabad House for a couple of months after he was elected vice-president. His successor will probably have to do the same while Shekhawat’s newly allotted bungalow on Aurangzeb Road is being refurbished.

The delay, it seems, is because Shekhawat was convinced that he would win the presidential poll. Apparently an official of the urban development ministry, which handles government housing, rang up Shekhawat’s office to ask for preferences.

The official was told that there was no need really to search for a bungalow because the vice-president would be moving to Raisina Hill.

Meanwhile, UPA vice-presidential nominee Hamid Ansari has been whisked away from his flat in the Foreign Service Housing complex to a government guesthouse. It’s easier there to cope with the steady stream of visitors calling on him everyday.

TAILPIECE

Tamil Nadu CM M Karunanidhi was the proud father as he watched daughter Kanimozhi being sworn in as Rajya Sabha MP last week.

The Singapore-educated 37 year old is said to be the apple of her father’s eye. Apparently, Karunanidhi believes his relationship with his second wife, Kanimozhi’s mother, changed his fortunes.

Unlike her half-brothers, MK Azhagiri and MK Stalin, Kanimozhi speaks fluent English, is tech-savvy and quite the modern woman. It’s the turn of the daughters now, from Mehbooba Mufti to Supriya Sule to Priya Dutt.

Email: a_jerath@dnaindia.net.