Deobhoomidiary

Sad plight of palate

A Babu, known as a connoisseur of good food with a discerning palate, was left red-faced when he was attending a function at Raj Bhawan organized to mark the Science Day. After the lecture session was over the Babu along with other attendants moved towards the exhibition hosted in the vicinity of the auditorium. However, a cafeteria falling on the way goaded him to forget the exhibition to gorge on the piping hot delicacies stacked there, layer after layer. Temptation to taste them proving irresistible, he picked up a plate with cheerful alacrity. However, one of the caterers proved the spoilsport for the gourmet. He told him point blank that the food lounge was not open for the guests. Disappointed, he left. But his gastronomic juices being aroused in full, he literally barged into the food court meant for the journos. With luck not on his side this time too, he was brusquely stopped.  Seeing the Babu coming to terms with his predicament, someone present there told the grim-visaged caterer that the person he was stopping was none other than an IAS officer. However, pat came the answer that he was least bothered about who he was, forcing the Babu to take to his heels. 

Backroom manoeuvre before counting

Days before the counting of votes is taken up, political parties, staring at a probable fractured mandate, are sweating it out during the retreating winter to stitch up an alliance with the regional parties and also to woo the Independents who are likely to be triumphant in the fiercely fought polls. A leader confided that with none of the two parties likely to reach the magic figure, the stock of the elected independents would sky-rocket in the post-counting scenario. True, the electorate has kept the parties tense by their lack-luster turnout. If sources are to be believed, wads of money are being exchanged to cobble up a majority in the house in case the mandate is indecisive.   Things are so tricky that the candidates thus being wooed are calling up the journos to assess the present market price of the Independents for the switch.     However, many of them are choosing to be non-committal, considering that their rate cards might see an upswing after the counting.