Apart from the president’s poll which has sufficiently satisfied a group of 20-odd senior leaders, who had written to Sonia Gandhi asking her to elect the party president instead of appointing one if the Gandhis were not interested, a timely compromise over the Rajasthan politics may have saved the Congress some more blushes, more so when Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ is being received well and getting most-wanted criticism from its baiters. Anyhow, the Congress has been kept in circulation, which should augur well for it.

Interestingly, most wordsmith seniors have endorsed Kharge’s candidature. Tharoor was a signatory of the letter to Sonia but is contesting without the established lot on his side. The three-time MP from Kerala, where the party has its most Lok Sabha members elected in the current House, has been saying that the Gandhis are neutral to both candidates though many believe it’s just an assumption and the election result will prove them right.

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Countdown begins

In Maharashtra, this Dussehra promises to be very volatile with two rallies being planned by the warring Shiv Sena factions. As the spitfires try to tear each other into pieces, BJP leader Pankaja Munde, a perennial advocate of her political victimhood, will be speaking her mind at her own annual celebration the same day.  She has run into trouble umpteen times with her statements, one of which came recently. She holds a grudge that she has been denied power despite being one of the biggest mass leaders of the BJP, which will also be looking forward to the RSS chief’s annual address on Dussehra.

IAS is done, next IPS

The Indian Police Service and State Police Service officers holding senior positions have been expecting a major reshuffle before Diwali. In a mass transfer last week, some 40 Indian Administrative Service officers were shifted. Put off track by the previous regime, many babus have been brought into mainstream departments. But some from the MVA have been left untouched, the prominent being the chief of the Mumbai civic body and some seniors in Mantralaya. Likewise, it is said that the city police chief and state police chief, appointed by the MVA, would stay put in their respective offices, but the officers rank below in major cities and state HQ are likely to be changed. The police offices having the commissioners as their respective heads are more anxious. Sources say many officers who have worked under Devendra Fadnavis, who continues to hold the home department in this government as well, have been asked about their choices. However, most have left the decision to their political bosses, knowing that the decision about who fits where has already been taken, but not made official yet. 

Dharmendra Jore is political editor, mid-day. He tweets @dharmendrajore

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