Nadda emerges as key negotiator from govt’s side

NEW DELHI: As the govt’s main interlocutor with students protesting under the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) banner, Union health minister JP Nadda has been thrust into the limelight, holding talks with them and visiting the injured in hospitals.This is an interesting turn in Nadda’s journey. The former BJP president is not really known for revelling in the spotlight and is more at ease in closed-door political meetings than being in the middle of public attention. That his comments rarely stoke any controversy or ruffle others is being considered an asset when govt is holding talks with a group which is riding the angst of the student community, as any misstep may inflame passions.Nadda cut his teeth in students’ politics as an ABVP activist in Patna and Himachal University and grew in the role to head Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, the youth wing of BJP, collecting long experience of agitational politics, the second nature of student activism, which makes him the right person for the job.BJP circles are of the view that while being health minister who looked after the treatment of injured protesters put Nadda in a position to connect with CJP, his emergence as a negotiator came as a surprise. It is surmised that the former BJP chief’s low-key presence added to his acceptability. A BJP functionary said one of his strengths was that he was soft-spoken but also knew where to draw the line, a trait that ensures that he could engage with protestors skilfully while ensuring that the govt’s views were also put across firmly.He had also met activist Sonam Wangchuk in a private hospital as part of govt’s efforts to persuade him to break his hunger strike and engage in talks to end the stir.Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, known for his political savvy and proven track record of successful political outreach, could have been the other choice but for the fact that his resignation is CJP’s main demand.With some other leading BJP figures not really a good fit for the job because of their seniority, the task fell on Nadda, now a member of the party’s brains trust.