POLITICS

Maharashtra CM face will be of Amit Shah's choice?   

Whisper has it that the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah will play an instrumental role in selecting a face for the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Congress, RJD jockeying for more berths in Hemant Soren Cabinet?

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) led Cabinet is likely to be formed in Jharkhand by December 5, four days before the start of a special session of new Assembly. JMM leader Hemant Soren was sworn in as Jharkhand Chief Minister without any other Minister. Jharkhand is mandated to have 12 ministerial berths including the CM’s post. With 16 MLAs on its side, the Congress party is reportedly looking at getting at least four ministries that the party also had in the previous JMM-led Government. JMM’s another partner Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) that has increased its tally from 1 to 5 seats, is expecting more than one berth. Even JMM’s strength has increased to 34, compared to 30 seats in 2019. Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, which secured two seats in the Jharkhand Assembly polls has already announced that it would not stake claim over any Ministerial position.

Does West Bengal BJP need a full-time state President ?

In the 6 West Bengal Assembly bypolls held last month, the BJP suffered a terrible defeat. The Mamata Banerjee-led TMC not only won all seats but also increased its winning margins as compared to the 2021 Assembly elections. Reeling from the BJP’s decimation in the recent bypolls, many leaders have started demanding a change in the state leadership and State BJP President and union Minister Sukanta Majumder has come in the line of their fire. Earlier, in the July 10 Assembly bypolls too, the BJP lost all four seats to the TMC. Veteran BJP leader Tathagata Roy took to ‘X’ to say, “It is unimaginable that in a state like West Bengal, the BJP is run by a part-time President, who doubles as a Minister of State at Centre.”