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NEWSNOTES
CAPLOOKS
Beating
Retreat
 Delhi:
The occasion
was the 75th Foundation Day of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Thousands
of lathi-wielding cadres had turned up to participate in the drill. However,
the RSS headquarters had asked its volunteers to ensure that those not
attired in the RSS's traditional uniform of khaki knickers, white shirts
and black caps were kept out. Unaware of this diktat, BJP President Bangaru
Laxman and his predecessor Kushabhau Thakre arrived at the venue and found
a handful of strongmen blocking their way. They waxed eloquent about their
long association with the RSS and their own status in the BJP. Nothing
worked and the duo had to retreat.
Buffer
Zone
Hyderabad: Like his predecessors, President
K.R. Narayanan recently had his annual stay at the Rashtrapati Nilayam
in
Secunderabad. Hyderabadis are now wishing that he would come more often.
Reason: civic and cantonment authorities spruced up the entire neighbourhood
for the President's four-day visit during the Dussehra weekend. The only
ones complaining were some badminton enthusiasts who could not play at
the indoor stadium which was reserved for Narayanan, a badminton buff.
One Man,
Multiple Posts
Delhi: The only happy man at 24 Akbar
Road these days is AICC General Secretary Motilal Vora. He gets to double
up as party treasurer and his nameplate hangs outside two rooms at the
Congress headquarters. Vora surely seems to be enjoying wearing two caps
and divides his time between the two. With V. George's blessings, Vora
gets to preside over Rs 2 crore in the party coffers. He's hoping for
more. If the Congress does not get a suitable candidate to head the Chhattisgarh
government, he may get to wear a third cap.
Bengal
Package
 Calcutta:The
PMO was flabbergasted when Mamata Banerjee asked for the restoration of
the 1987 Jute Packaging Act which states that foodgrains and sugar be
packed in jute bags. The Centre obliged. A big gainer is a Calcutta mill
owner. Is Didi's support to the NDA getting eco-friendly? Or is there
hidden economics?
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Confessional
Hiren Pandya
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 Gujarat
Home Minister HIREN PANDYA's crisis management skills let
him down during the recent local body polls.
Q.
What were the reasons for the BJP's defeat?
A. Both the people and the party workers saw the dilution of
our core agenda as a betrayal. Then ticket distribution was improper.
Q.
Party leaders allegedly behaved arrogantly while dealing with workers.
A. That was also a factor. It stemmed from a degree of overconfidence.
We lost touch with the people and failed to gauge their mood.
Q.
What's the lesson you have learnt from this?
A. That you can't win the elections on developmental issues
alone. You also need an emotional issue. Had it been development
alone, we would have done well despite the anti-incumbency factor.
Q.
What next in Gujarat? Back to Hindutva?
A. As I said earlier, jettisoning our core agenda cost us dearly.
The worker felt we had betrayed what was essentially matter of faith
for him. We have to address his feelings without hurting the minorities.
Q.
Will the party change its tactics now?
A. We must. We have identified the problems. Corrective action
will follow soon.
-Uday
Mahurkar
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Top
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Relics
of old empires exist everywhere. Why can't the Mani Shankar Aiyars of
India let them be? asks INDIA TODAY Senior Editor Ravi Shankar in
