Security Jam
Delhi: The many layers of security available to political bigwigs can
sometimes stump even the VVIPs. The other day, Congress President Sonia Gandhi stepped out
of Parliament and walked towards the SPG car at the entrance. The SPG, of course, looks
only after serving and former PMs plus Rajiv Gandhi's family. Sonia was about to step into
the car when an officer told her that it was not meant for her. "Who does it belong
to?" she wondered. With the number of former PMs in Parliament, perhaps only the SPG
have an answer. And then perhaps they don't.Grave Blunder
Bhubaneswar: Even the lowly-ranked typist can make or break governments. Ask
Orissa's new chief minister, Hemananda Biswal. As his ministers took oath last week, just
one man from the previous Giridhar Gamang cabinet was left out. Was Debendra Mansingh
being dropped? While Biswal feigned ignorance and a near revolt broke out within the party
over Mansingh's non-inclusion, it transpired that a typist at the AICC had by mistake
omitted his name. The error was soon rectified and another swearing-in organised
exclusively for Mansingh at the Raj Bhavan.
Give and Take
Shimla: Having secured
a financial package for the state, announced last week by Prime Minister Atal Bihari
Vajpayee, Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal was quick to loosen the purse strings. In fact, a
week before the Vajpayee grant, Dhumal had announced his own, placing Rs 20 lakh a year
with each MLA as local area development fund on the lines of the Central funds for MPs.
Dhumal's largesse has cheered up the MLAs who had been sulking after withdrawal of perks
under an austerity drive. With a wafer-thin majority in the Assembly, Dhumal couldn't have
been more innovative in keeping the MLAs in good humour without being too lavish.
Expansion Blues
Chandigarh: With the much-promised cabinet expansion by Chief Minister Parkash
Singh Badal becoming a much-postponed event, the patience of the aspirants is wearing
thin. Badal's hint to induct more than the seven vacancies has sent the MLAs into a
lobbying overdrive for ministerial berths. While the chief minister is keeping everyone on
tenterhooks, the aspirants have armed themselves with mobile phones lest they miss the
elusive call. On the pretext of making courtesy visits, they have been flocking to Badal's
official residence in Chandigarh. Of course, they don't forget to get their mobile numbers
noted down by Badal's staff.
CONFESSIONAL
Within a month of taking over, Uttar Pradesh CM Ram Prakash Gupta
whipped up a controversy by reiterating that the BJP was committed to building the Ram
temple.
Why did you say that construction of the Ram temple
was on your agenda when the BJP's central leaders say it is not?
The newspapers misquoted me. The prime minister called me and I have already clarified
the matter to him. What I had said was that the Ayodhya issue was neither on my agenda nor
on the Central Government's. But what appeared in the newspapers was just the opposite.
Now, you tell me what can I do?
Is it on the BJP's agenda or not?
I have said that we would follow what is in the National Democratic Alliance's
agenda.That is all.
There's a perception that you are a weak CM.
You are asking this because Kalyan Singh has said so. I am not a weak chief minister .
Can the BJP make up for the loss of a senior party
leader like Kalyan?
Kalyan's departure from the party has not affected it at all. The party does not miss
him.
But he brought in the backward votes.
None of the backward leaders has gone with him, so where is the loss?
Who will lead the BJP in the assembly elections?
I will lead the party. But elections are still far away.
But you have been sent as the night-watchman by the
party high command.
(Laughs) That is an old story. I will complete the remaining two years of the state
Assembly's term and thereafter.
-Subhash Mishra |
