supriya sule: Third eye: Sule’s influence, Assam’s RS aspirants, and Fadnavis’ unique record

Sule’s CharmMany opposition MPs see NCP MP Supriya Sule as the goto person for issues to be raised in Parliament. She enjoys warm relations and good equations with her Lok Sabha colleagues across party lines. Sule enjoys warm relations with DMK MP Kanimozhi, SP MP Dimple Yadav, TMC MP Saugata Roy, TDP MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu and several BJP MPs, including Union ministers. Many times, the Speaker’s office seeks her views on ending the logjam between ruling and opposition sides.Musical ChairsThere are 10 aspirants for the two vacant RS seats in Assam that fell vacant after Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal’s election from the Dibrugarh LS seat and RS MP Kamakhya. Tassa relinquishing his seat after he was elected from Kaziranga in the recent LS polls. Former Union minister Rameshwar Teli, who was denied ticket from Dibrugarh, is eyeing the seat. Former MPs Rajdeep Roy and Topon Gogoi are also keeping their hopes high. BJP is sure to wrest both the seats along with its allies.Record of SortsWhen Devendra Fadnavis’ attempt to form a government with Ajit Pawar failed in 2019 within 48 hours, the opposition poked fun at Fadnavis for running the shortest government ever. Two years down the line, Fadnavis turned this into a fun fact, stating at an event, that said no one could break his and Ajit’s record of having the shortest government. Fadnavis added that the duo has another ‘unbeatable’ record: Fadnavis became a chief minister, then opposition leader and then deputy chief minister all in a single term; and Ajit became deputy CM, then opposition leader and then again a deputy CM in a single term.