Known as the rising stars in the Bharatiya Janata Party and the National Democratic Alliance government, finance minister Arun Jaitley's protégés have lost much of their sheen after the party's dismal performance in the recent Delhi assembly election.
Widely considered Prime Minister Narendra Modi's right-hand man, political troubleshooter and confidant, Arun Jaitley was roped in to help with the party's Delhi election campaign after it became evident that the BJP was on a sticky wicket. The general view was that Jaitley would be able to manage the show since he is well-acquainted with Delhi.
Jaitley, in turn, pulled out his loyalists – commerce minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Power and coal minister Piyush Goyal and Petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan – to assist him in this task. Jaitley and his team took over the BJP's Delhi office on Pandit Pant Marg while the local leaders were virtually sidelined.
Under a cloud
A week after the declaration of the election results, Jaitley and his team members are under a cloud. Questions are being raised by their detractors about their role in this election while many BJP insiders are demanding accountability from those entrusted with responsibilities in this crucial election. Party leaders Kirti Azad and Shatrughan Sinha were among the few who publicly raised questions about the BJP poll campaign which led to the party's humiliating defeat in Delhi.
Although no direct attack has been mounted against Jaitley and his proteges, the general refrain in the BJP circles is: What happens to the central leaders who were especially called in to help in the election campaign? Are they going to be questioned?
There are others who wonder how the party leadership could have expected Jaitley to deliver in Delhi when he was unable to win his Lok Sabha election in Amritsar despite the favourable wave for the BJP.
Low profile
Another Jaitley supporter, BJP leader Sushil Modi from Bihar, also finds himself in a spot of trouble for meddling in the ongoing internal crisis in the Janata Dal (U). Finding itself on the backfoot after its electoral rout in Delhi, the BJP does not want to be seen to be playing a partisan role in the Bihar imbroglio. In an attempt to put the record straight, the BJP leadership asked Modi to address a special media briefing in Delhi, distancing the party from the JD (U)'s problems.
Jaitley and his team members may not be down and out but the aura around them has clearly dimmed after the Delhi poll result. Jaitley could well recover if he is able to deliver a blockbuster budget. For the present, however, they have been looking subdued and have been keeping a low profile. They have barely been seen or heard over the past week.
This was also evident at BJP president Amit Shah's son's wedding reception last Sunday, they kept their distance from press persons. This is unusual as Jaitley, Sitharaman and Goyal are among the few media-friendly leaders in the Modi-led government.
Under Fire
Sitharaman has been in the firing line for adopting an unnecessarily strident tone in her media briefings and launching a personalised attack against Aam Admi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal by describing him as a "chor". She has been pulled up by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh for her uncalled-for belligerence.
Inducted into the Modi council of ministers at Jaitley's behest, Sitharaman has acquired the reputation of being competent in the short time that she has been handling the commerce ministry. She won praise for her handling of the controversial WTO issues, her quick grasp over the complex subjects in her ministry and her clear articulation of these matters in Parliament. The Delhi election has clearly set her back, at least for now.
Similarly, Piyush Goyal has also been flying high since he took charge of the crucial power and coal ministry. He was given this improtant portfolios after he proved his capabilites as the BJP treasurer and as a key member of the party's IT department handling its mission 272 plus Lok Sabha poll campaign. Goyal is seen as a young and energetic minister who has been working 24x7 to successfully familiarise himself with his ministries. He was rewarded recently when he was picked to be US President Barack Obama's minister- in- waiting and was part of India's high powered delegation to the World Economic Forum at Davos.
Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has not been as visible and vocal as his other colleagues but his proximity to Jaitley is well-known. He has also been keeping low after the Delhi elections, waiting for the storm to blow over.
No introspection
While Jaitley supporters who put themselves out for the Delhi polls now find themselves on the defensive, environment minister Prakash Javadekar is one loyalist who managed to get away. Javadekar probably saw the writing on the wall and, therefore, kept aloof from the Delhi poll campaign.
Despite the rumblings in the BJP over the Delhi defeat, the party leadership is showing no signs of introspecting over the reasons for this fiasco. This is a departure from the past when the BJP's Parliamentary board would meet to analyse the party's performance in an election, which served as a basis for undertaking corrective measures. This time, the brainstorming has been confined to the Delhi BJP. Party insiders maintained the leadership wants to put the Delhi verdict behind it and focus instead on the year-end Bihar assembly election.
We welcome your comments at
letters@scroll.in.
Widely considered Prime Minister Narendra Modi's right-hand man, political troubleshooter and confidant, Arun Jaitley was roped in to help with the party's Delhi election campaign after it became evident that the BJP was on a sticky wicket. The general view was that Jaitley would be able to manage the show since he is well-acquainted with Delhi.
Jaitley, in turn, pulled out his loyalists – commerce minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Power and coal minister Piyush Goyal and Petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan – to assist him in this task. Jaitley and his team took over the BJP's Delhi office on Pandit Pant Marg while the local leaders were virtually sidelined.
Under a cloud
A week after the declaration of the election results, Jaitley and his team members are under a cloud. Questions are being raised by their detractors about their role in this election while many BJP insiders are demanding accountability from those entrusted with responsibilities in this crucial election. Party leaders Kirti Azad and Shatrughan Sinha were among the few who publicly raised questions about the BJP poll campaign which led to the party's humiliating defeat in Delhi.
Although no direct attack has been mounted against Jaitley and his proteges, the general refrain in the BJP circles is: What happens to the central leaders who were especially called in to help in the election campaign? Are they going to be questioned?
There are others who wonder how the party leadership could have expected Jaitley to deliver in Delhi when he was unable to win his Lok Sabha election in Amritsar despite the favourable wave for the BJP.
Low profile
Another Jaitley supporter, BJP leader Sushil Modi from Bihar, also finds himself in a spot of trouble for meddling in the ongoing internal crisis in the Janata Dal (U). Finding itself on the backfoot after its electoral rout in Delhi, the BJP does not want to be seen to be playing a partisan role in the Bihar imbroglio. In an attempt to put the record straight, the BJP leadership asked Modi to address a special media briefing in Delhi, distancing the party from the JD (U)'s problems.
Jaitley and his team members may not be down and out but the aura around them has clearly dimmed after the Delhi poll result. Jaitley could well recover if he is able to deliver a blockbuster budget. For the present, however, they have been looking subdued and have been keeping a low profile. They have barely been seen or heard over the past week.
This was also evident at BJP president Amit Shah's son's wedding reception last Sunday, they kept their distance from press persons. This is unusual as Jaitley, Sitharaman and Goyal are among the few media-friendly leaders in the Modi-led government.
Under Fire
Sitharaman has been in the firing line for adopting an unnecessarily strident tone in her media briefings and launching a personalised attack against Aam Admi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal by describing him as a "chor". She has been pulled up by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh for her uncalled-for belligerence.
Inducted into the Modi council of ministers at Jaitley's behest, Sitharaman has acquired the reputation of being competent in the short time that she has been handling the commerce ministry. She won praise for her handling of the controversial WTO issues, her quick grasp over the complex subjects in her ministry and her clear articulation of these matters in Parliament. The Delhi election has clearly set her back, at least for now.
Similarly, Piyush Goyal has also been flying high since he took charge of the crucial power and coal ministry. He was given this improtant portfolios after he proved his capabilites as the BJP treasurer and as a key member of the party's IT department handling its mission 272 plus Lok Sabha poll campaign. Goyal is seen as a young and energetic minister who has been working 24x7 to successfully familiarise himself with his ministries. He was rewarded recently when he was picked to be US President Barack Obama's minister- in- waiting and was part of India's high powered delegation to the World Economic Forum at Davos.
Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has not been as visible and vocal as his other colleagues but his proximity to Jaitley is well-known. He has also been keeping low after the Delhi elections, waiting for the storm to blow over.
No introspection
While Jaitley supporters who put themselves out for the Delhi polls now find themselves on the defensive, environment minister Prakash Javadekar is one loyalist who managed to get away. Javadekar probably saw the writing on the wall and, therefore, kept aloof from the Delhi poll campaign.
Despite the rumblings in the BJP over the Delhi defeat, the party leadership is showing no signs of introspecting over the reasons for this fiasco. This is a departure from the past when the BJP's Parliamentary board would meet to analyse the party's performance in an election, which served as a basis for undertaking corrective measures. This time, the brainstorming has been confined to the Delhi BJP. Party insiders maintained the leadership wants to put the Delhi verdict behind it and focus instead on the year-end Bihar assembly election.