A divided Hindu family
The Vishva Hindu Parishad on Saturday polled to elect its new international working president. This was the first time the VHP had an election, and came in the wake of efforts by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to reduce the influence of VHP leader Pravin Togadia (pictured). In the event, Togadia supported incumbent G Raghav Reddy who lost the election to retired judge Vishnu Sadashiv Kokje. In the evening, Togadia tweeted: “Thousands of workers have conveyed their anger to me. Satraps of power are crushing the voices of truth and religion. I appeal to one billion Hindus to maintain peace, and speak democratically. I will be making a big announcement soon.” Clearly, the Sangh Parivar is no longer a Hindu undivided family.
Inside job
It seems the leak of the photograph of Delhi unit leaders of the Congress party gorging on chholey bhature before embarking on their April 9 fast was an inside job. The photograph of Congress Delhi unit chief Ajay Maken, Haroon Yusuf and Arvinder Singh Lovely eating at a Delhi restaurant was not only leaked to the media by insiders, but a former union minister in the Congress-led UPA government, who was an MP from Punjab, called up journalists to push for better coverage of the story. The Congress leader has not only been upset with Maken but also the Congress chief.
Simmering discontent
Savitri Bai Phule, BJP's Bahraich Lok Sabha MP, met former Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav on Thursday. There is speculation that some of the Dalit MPs of the BJP could part ways with the party in the run up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. There is also unease among some of BJP's Dalit allies, including Republic Party of India (Athawale)'s Ramdas Athawale, who is a union minister and a Rajya Sabha member, and Lok Janshakti Party chief and union minister Ram Vilas Paswan. Sources say the question isn't if, but when Paswan, Athawale and union minister Upendra Kushwaha, a Kurmi leader and chief of the Rashtriya Loktantrik Samata Party, would quit the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.
The Vishva Hindu Parishad on Saturday polled to elect its new international working president. This was the first time the VHP had an election, and came in the wake of efforts by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to reduce the influence of VHP leader Pravin Togadia (pictured). In the event, Togadia supported incumbent G Raghav Reddy who lost the election to retired judge Vishnu Sadashiv Kokje. In the evening, Togadia tweeted: “Thousands of workers have conveyed their anger to me. Satraps of power are crushing the voices of truth and religion. I appeal to one billion Hindus to maintain peace, and speak democratically. I will be making a big announcement soon.” Clearly, the Sangh Parivar is no longer a Hindu undivided family.
Inside job
It seems the leak of the photograph of Delhi unit leaders of the Congress party gorging on chholey bhature before embarking on their April 9 fast was an inside job. The photograph of Congress Delhi unit chief Ajay Maken, Haroon Yusuf and Arvinder Singh Lovely eating at a Delhi restaurant was not only leaked to the media by insiders, but a former union minister in the Congress-led UPA government, who was an MP from Punjab, called up journalists to push for better coverage of the story. The Congress leader has not only been upset with Maken but also the Congress chief.
Simmering discontent
Savitri Bai Phule, BJP's Bahraich Lok Sabha MP, met former Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav on Thursday. There is speculation that some of the Dalit MPs of the BJP could part ways with the party in the run up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. There is also unease among some of BJP's Dalit allies, including Republic Party of India (Athawale)'s Ramdas Athawale, who is a union minister and a Rajya Sabha member, and Lok Janshakti Party chief and union minister Ram Vilas Paswan. Sources say the question isn't if, but when Paswan, Athawale and union minister Upendra Kushwaha, a Kurmi leader and chief of the Rashtriya Loktantrik Samata Party, would quit the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.
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