Rajnath Singh settles in de-facto deputy PM role
Image credit X @RajnathSingh
Spotlight on Rajnath Singh turns sharp with BJP facing assertive Opposition
By Manish Anand
New Delhi, June 18: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had desired a strong Opposition while speaking in one of his media interviews during the Lok Sabha elections. The electorate nodded to the wishes of Modi and supplied missing muscles to the skeleton Congress.
The first test of the ruling dispensation will be the upcoming election for the post of the Lok Sabha Speaker. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has chanted that the party will desire a consensus election.
The BJP’s record in parliament, and the conducts of the presiding officers of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha in the last 10 years may rob the credibility of the pursuit of consensus.
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Yet, Union Minister for Defence Rajnath Singh has cornered sunshine post-elections. Singh is the lone surviving senior BJP leader from the Atal-Advani era in the ruling dispensation.
Singh wasn’t sitting grimly at the oath ceremony. Modi made most of the initiatives to speak to Singh, while sitting out through an extended swearing in ceremony.
Union Minister for Home Affairs Amit Shah is also seeking out Singh. The BJP’s original Rajput face from Uttar Pradesh spoke to the constituents of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) during the government formation.
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Now, Singh will also reach out to the Opposition parties. The BJP has given him the task to build consensus for the elections for the Lok Sabha Speaker.
The first task of Singh is to bring the NDA allies on board to allow the BJP to anoint one from its ranks to become the presiding officer of the lower House of parliament. The precedents of GMC Balyogi, Manohar Joshi, and others becoming the Speaker of the Lok Sabha during the BJP-led coalition may not hold out now due to residual domineering of the saffron outfit.
“The Lok Sabha mandate has sharpened the utility of Rajnath Singh. He didn’t allow himself to fall for the pulls of bludgeoning the Opposition in the last 10 years,” said a senior BJP functionary.
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Singh and Nitin Gadkari are the only two from the treasury benches who may command the attention of the Opposition ears. Arguably, the rest of the BJP pack in parliament suffered from Smriti Irani syndrome – shrieking with shrills – as a matter of routine in parliament.
“Rajnath Singh is already acting as the deputy prime minister in the Modi government. The attention that he garners during meetings is indicative of his evolving position,” said a senior ranking government functionary.
The role of Singh in the ruling dispensation may only gain more strength with passing time. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi has already counted at least two issues to paralyse the functioning of parliament.
Furthermore, the people’s mandate for a strong Opposition in parliament may also take away the propensity of the presiding officers to throw away the dissenting members from the two Houses.
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