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Party Economy Delhi: Even
political parties seem to be hit by recession. Especially the Congress whose coffers are
virtually empty. After MTNL disconnected telephone lines of the AICC recently for
non-payment of bills totalling Rs 70 lakh, party chief Sonia Gandhi has put a ceiling on
the number of calls for each office-bearer. Free tea and cold drinks are out. Curbs have
been imposed on travel. Party MPs on official tours must use their free travel tickets
instead of billing the AICC. Sonia has even decided to reduce the AICC staff to cut costs.
In addition to these measures, she is also concentrating on raising funds for the party.
But, amidst all this belt-tightening and down-sizing, Sonia was shocked to learn that
party MPs have been irregular with the mandatory contribution of Rs 400 a month to the
CPP.
Eye for an Eye
Bhopal: The
cold war between Chief Minister Digvijay Singh of the Congress and BJP-appointed Governor
Bhai Mahavir continues. In his report to the Union Home Ministry, Mahavir has taken
Digvijay to task for fomenting trouble over the delay in the formation of Chhattisgarh
state. Since the complaint has a ring of truth to it -- the report quotes Digvijay's
statements on the issue -- it has unnerved the chief minister. So he has retaliated by
complaining to Union Home Minister L.K. Advani about the "irresponsible"
behaviour of the Governor. He even produced documents to "prove" that Mahavir
was issuing instructions directly to state officials. Advani reportedly assured Digvijay
that he would speak to the Governor about it.
Security Scare
Chandigarh: What
goes up must come down. Ask Maninderjit Singh Bitta. As Youth Congress chief and P.V.
Narasimha Rao's principal drumbeater, his stock was high until a couple of years ago. Not
any more. Last week, Bitta had the mortification of seeing his own party leaders, for whom
he had organised crowds in the past, shun him like the plague. When Sharad Pawar and
Rajesh Pilot arrived in Chandigarh for the third death anniversary of late chief minister
Beant Singh, they used an ingenious ruse to keep Bitta at bay. A day before the function,
Bitta, who has a Z-plus security cover, was told by party leaders not to attend the
function as his presence could pose a "security risk" to top Congress
dignitaries. Bitta, once hailed as a living martyr by his partymen, could do little except
pay a quiet visit to Beant Singh's samadhi in the wee hours.
Business Traveller
Calcutta:
Somnath Chatterjee is off again -- to Israel, on an "invitation" from the
Israeli ambassador. The gregarious Marxist, who Chief Minister Jyoti Basu thinks can
transform West Bengal into an industrial powerhouse, has seen quite a bit of the world in
the four years since he took over as chairman of the West Bengal Industrial Development
Corporation. With crony businessmen and fawning mandarins in tow, the Marxist
globetrotting brigade has already criss-crossed Europe, US, South Africa, Japan and
South-east Asia. Now with Israel over, the choice of destinations is running out. As for
all this resulting in real investment -- don't ask stupid questions!
Luxury Room
Delhi: The
BJP's Ashoka Road headquarters will soon witness one major shift. Party President
Kushabhau Thakre will move out from his one-room tenement behind the office and occupy a
bungalow at AB 19 Tilak Marg. The party settled for the Tilak Marg residence after
checking out another premises at Pandara Park, where former party chief L.K. Advani has
resided for years. While renovations at the new bungalow will take at least a month,
Thakre, meanwhile, will be travelling across the country for the better part of September.
Speculation is now rife as to who will get Thakre's old room which was fitted with an air
conditioner and a hand shower in May this year when he became president. By RSS standards,
it's pure luxury. Bets are on about its next occupant. |
