Secret meeting
Contents of a meeting between a top NCP leader and BJP’s PM candidate Narendra Modi recently is being widely speculated in corridors of power. Former BJP chief Nitin Gadkari is believed to be behind this meeting. With rumours about unrest in the NCP over Sharad Pawar taking a back seat and his nephew Ajit Pawar eyeing a national role, several loyalists of senior Pawar are looking for a new home.
Sis for bro’s help
Amid the buzz created by Priyanka Gandhi “dropping” in for a high level meeting of senior Congress leaders at her brother Rahul Gandhi’s residence last week, another sister’s concern for her brother went completely unnoticed. Former UP Congress chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi spent a lot of time at the AICC and met senior leaders a day before Congress Core Group was to decide on the fate of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna. Rita apparently lobbied for her brother and convinced the high command to give him reprieve.
Duplicity of Milind Deora
Rahul Gandhi’s decisions can often be predicted through Minister of State Milind Deora’s tweets. After Deora tweeted against the amendment to save MPs and MlAs facing criminal cases, came Rahul’s famous intervention. Similarly, Deora first tweeted in favour of debate on the Adarsh scam and soon came Rahul’s s comment against rejecting the report. But now Deora critics are ready to show him the mirror. They wonder why Deora did not speak a word on the CAG report on KG Basin in which his father Murli Deora’s actions came for severe criticism.
Jittery babus
While the green lobby is shell shocked at Environment Minister Veerappa Moily’s superfast way in granting clearances to long awaited projects, the babus are jittery as they are caught between the devil and the deep sea. One of them remarked, “While the new Minister’s orders have to be followed, but in clearing such huge backlog of files we have to be cautious. What if we are hounded by the investigative agencies in the next Government for any mistake committed in the process of taking such superfast policy decisionsIJ”
Vain reminders
The reminders sent to the chief secretaries of Gujarat and Maharashtra in December by the Road Ministry to probe violations of testing norms by General Motors have not yielded any result. The Ministry, which first asked the States to set probe into the alleged violations in July itself, is contemplating serious action if a probe is not initiated at the earliest.
New boss for AIDS control
IAS officer KB Agarwal from J&K cadre is likely to join the Central Government as Joint Secretary, Department of AIDS Control, under the Union Health Ministry. The post has been lying vacant ever since Aradhana Johri, an IAS from UP cadre (1980) moved over as Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Ministry.
Shinde’s politics
Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde loves to take up political question in his monthly Press conference on the affairs of his Ministry. On questions related to his Ministry, Shinde’s mostly replies in one-liner, but when it comes to politics there is no stopping him. Even if Press Officer asked the journs to limit the questions to the Ministry related affairs, Shinde would often tell them — “let them ask.”
Who caresIJ
The state-of-the-art CBI headquarters building is probably one of the first Government buildings that are designed to be disabled friendly. However, the agency’s administration officials have blocked the side ramps at the entrance by putting flower pots. The move came after one of the transparent glass doors was broken by someone accidently. One of the two entrances has since been fitted with sensor-based doors and the other one has been shut permanently. The disabled staff who find it inconvenient due to the closure of the ramp are obviously unhappy with the officials, but not many are ready to hear their plight.