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August 23, 1999
 Cover Story
Elections 99
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Too Many Cooks
Delhi: If the Congress was trying to
put its best foot forward by setting up a new panel of spokespersons for the elections,
then the move has misfired badly. Instead of picking holes in the BJP's pre-poll
pronouncements, these leaders -- Ajit Jogi, Kapil Sibal, Najma Heptulla, Ambika Soni and
Ashwini Kumar -- are busy trying to outdo each other. Last week, the squabbling reached
absurd heights during the party's press conference. While Jogi hogged the show by going on
and on about the Congress' views on the government's telecom policy, a visibly agitated
Sibal kept pulling the mike towards himself, much to the merriment of the mediapersons. Madam Calling
Delhi: Time was when Congressmen
would jump with joy on hearing that "Madam" was on the line. Not any more. This
of course has nothing to do with any lack of respect for Sonia Gandhi. It's just that
there are too many "madams" in the Congress these days. As poll fever picks up,
Congressmen are often besieged with calls of "madam wishes to speak to you".
Often the "madam" turns out to be, not Sonia as they expect, but Delhi Chief
Minister Sheila Dixit or Delhi Assembly Deputy Speaker Kiran Chowdhury or even a woman
legislator. Now, most Congressmen are so certain the "real madam" will never
call that they greet every woman caller with, "Yes madam, boliye, kya haal chaal
hai?"
The Chronicler
Delhi: Last year, at the time of
publication of his novel, The Insider, P.V. Narasimha Rao had announced that he'd soon
shift from fiction to recent history. His short book on the 1992 Ayodhya crisis is ready
and his publishers are trying to release it before the elections are over. The highlight
of Rao's book, it is believed, is a chronicle of the battle between Delhi and Lucknow in
the days prior to the Babri Masjid demolition on December 6, 1992.
Waning Power
Delhi: Ever since Sonia Gandhi's entry into
politics in 1998, her personal secretary Vincent George was doubling as her political
secretary, guarding all access to the Congress president. But now, with AICC Treasurer
Ahmad Patel taking office at 10 Janpath, George has been reduced again to personal
secretary. While Patel is chief executive of the party president's home office, his
nominee, Janardan Dwivedi, deals with Congressmen on Sonia's behalf. In the past, George
was cut to size in 1990, when Rajiv Gandhi inducted R.K. Dhawan into the 10 Janpath
office, and yet again in 1991, when Jitendra Prasada was brought in as his political
secretary. Will George be third time lucky? |
