Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has accused the Election Commission (EC) of double standards, pointing out that while the notice against him referred to the EC’s ‘displeasure’, the notice against Sonia Gandhi merely ‘cautioned’ her. Initially, the legal adviser to the commission, S.K. Mendiratta, had prepared the same notice for all three leaders show-caused in the Gujarat campaign — Modi, Gandhi, and Digvijay Singh. But later it was reframed. Modi and Singh received a more strongly-worded note, because they were charged for violation of provisions of the election code which concern creating mutual hatred or causing tension between different castes and communities. Sonia, however, was reprimanded for violation of a milder section of the code, which talks about top leaders making unverified allegations against rivals. Of course, that does not explain why the EC took so long to take cognisance of Gandhi’s remark.

When the EC’s decisions are finally announced, they are usually termed as unanimous. But behind the scenes there is often a tussle between Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami and Election Commissioner Navin Chawla, who generally hold opposing viewpoints. Which is why, often, the way the third commissioner, S.Y. Qureshi, swings decides the outcome.

Modi-fied tussle

Much has been made of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) being anti-Modi. Actually it is merely a section of the RSS high command led by Suresh Soni, considered Number 3 in the Sangh hierarchy, that is opposed to Modi. Soni’s faction includes Sanjay Joshi, a former general-secretary, who has a long-standing rivalry with Modi over control of the Gujarat unit of the party. Others close to BJP president Rajnath Singh, such as Prabhat Jha, a party secretary, are also in the anti-Modi camp. Modi, on the other hand, is backed by Mohan Bhagwat, the Number 2 in the RSS, who is also the effective head of the organisation on a day-to-day basis.

... contd.