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Sep 6, 1999
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Elections 99
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Low Visibility
Delhi: The Nationalist Congress
Party's convention at Delhi's Mavlankar Hall recently saw the dais set in true Congress
style: mattresses, white sheets and large pillows for back-rest. While party stalwarts
Sharad Pawar, Tariq Anwar and Devendra Dwivedi sat comfortably, P.A. Sangma apparently was
not visible to those at the back, thanks to the small desk and mike placed before him.
When TV crews requested him to "sit up", Sangma propped himself on a pillow. But
it wasn't enough. Another pillow was added and only his nose was visible. In desperation,
Sangma then stood up on the pillows and asked, "You want me to keep standing like
this for the next two hours?" Harmless
Job
Delhi: Apart from the regular media
cell to monitor the national press, the BJP has now added an Urdu cell at its Ashoka Road
headquarters. The reason: ostensibly to understand the mind-set of the Muslim community
which remains implacably opposed to the BJP. The real reason, say party insiders, is that
the party wanted to keep one of its old-timers, K.R. Malkani, occupied. He's one of the
BJP veterans who has been discouraged from appearing on TV. Monitoring the Urdu press
would be a completely harmless occupation, as one Ashoka Road regular put it.
Power Dues
Lucknow: Former prime minister V.P.
Singh may not be keeping good health, but doubts are now being raised about his financial
condition too. Recently, the Uttar Pradesh State Electricity Board staff in his hometown
Allahabad issued a notice against a pending electricity bill of over Rs 2,000. The dues
apparently pertain to Singh's palace. But the district administration has so far not
mustered courage to serve the notice or disconnect power supply to the Raja of Manda's
huge "kothi".
Defending Light
Delhi: Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha
recently called a press conference to hold forth on the economic achievements of his
government. The finance minister was doing a competent job defending the BJP regime
against the onslaught of the press when he was asked to assess the performance of his
colleagues in charge of ministries like commerce, iron and steel and power. "I'm
satisfied," he replied, and just then there was a power-cut. But once the generator
took over and the lights came on Sinha quipped: "I don't think you can blame my
colleague Mr Kumaramangalam for this brief interruption." |
