Rajnath-Jaitley spat a tussle for No. 2 spot in Modi cabinet

by Guest Thu Aug 28, 2014 4:15 pm

New Delhi: As the fight between Union home minister Rajnath Singh and finance minister Arun Jaitley intensified, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah had to intervene by issuing public statements. The issue became severe after Singh complained to the RSS leadership that it was Jaitley who was behind the corruption stories against his son Pankaj Singh in the media.

As per the demand of the RSS leadership, Modi and Shah then issued press statements, denying allegations against Singh and his son. Singh declared that, if the allegations were proved, he would end his political career.

Singh approached the RSS after efforts made by Modi on Monday to sort out the issue by inviting both leaders together failed. Both the leaders engaged in a bitter exchange of words before the prime minister.

Media reports had hinted Modi had called Pankaj Singh and admonished him for taking bribes for the appointment of IPS officers. Stories spread that the PM had instructed him to donate the money to the party fund. Social media was abuzz with talk that Singh would resign soon.

Efforts at conciliation were initiated after Singh complained to the prime minister that those who were spreading false stories against him and his son were some centres close to Jaitley. Though Jaitley denied the allegations in front of the prime minister, Singh was not willing to believe it. Though Singh appealed that the allegations should be denied by the prime minister himself, the response was not favourable.

Denying a seat to his son, who was also a general secretary of the party in the state, in the by-elections to the UP Assembly had also provoked Singh. The prime minister and the party president were forced to issue statements after Singh approached the RSS leadership with the suspicion that Modi and Jaitley were colluding.

The prime minister’s office (PMO) responded through a press release that the news appearing in a section of the media about the prime minister admonishing the home minister’s son were false, motivated and malicious, and intended to tarnish the image of the government. It said spreading such rumours was against the interest of the nation.

Shah said the allegations against Singh and his son were baseless and concocted. He said plans to divert the people’s attention from the Modi government’s development agenda would not succeed.

It is the dispute over the number two position in the Union cabinet that triggered the fight between Singh and Jaitley. Though it is not announced officially, Singh is No. 2 in the cabinet. At the same time, the leadership in the Rajya Sabha and the charge of important ministries like finance and defence have raised the profile of Jaitley.

http://beta.english.manoramaonline.com/news/politics/rajnath-jaitley-spat-a-tussle-for-no-2-spot-in-modi-cabinet.html

by Guest Thu Aug 28, 2014 4:19 pm

So it was the Danda (stick) of the RSS that got Modi (through the PMO) and Amit Shah to come out with a statement defending Rajnath. They would not have done so otherwise.

Rajnath-Jaitley spat a tussle for No. 2 spot in Modi cabinet

Rajnath-Jaitley spat a tussle for No. 2 spot in Modi cabinet

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