The third eye: The changed scenario, a clear-cut choice and ready for meetings

There had been a flood of leaders joining BJP ahead of the LokSabha elections. Almost on a daily basis, party general secretary Vinod Tawde would announce and usher in a new leaderin the presence of the media at the party headquarters in theweeks before the polls. His press interactions were inevitablyassociated with the joining of some leader. So, when Tawdewalked into the press hall on Tuesday to announce BJP’smembership drive, there were speculations that some leaderfrom poll-bound Haryana or Jammu and Kashmir may bejoining BJP. Sensing this, Tawde made it clear at the outsetthat he was not here to welcome any leader into the party.

A clear-cut choice

Sharad Pawar, who wasrecently accorded Z pluscover, is not too fond ofsecurity personnelaround him. Suspectingthat the Centre’s communication that an ‘escortwill accompany’ him in hisvehicle is an attempt to‘spy’ on him, Pawar said that who would sit in his vehicle would be decided by him alone.

Ready for meetings

The first meeting of the Union Council of Ministers slated for Wednesday evening will be watched closely, given the alliance dynamics. Presentations on budget and key reform suggestions by some secretaries are among the key agendas of the meeting. But before that Union Cabinet will meet in the morning.