Political Delicacies
By Nora Chopra
riyanka will take charge of the party after the assembly elections in the four states of Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Jammu & Kashmir. Succumbing to pressures from within the party, the Congress leadership has decided to launch Priyanka Vadra. Priyanka is likely to be made the general secretary in charge of the organisation and would sit in the AICC. This decision was taken after the pressure mounted on Sonia Gandhi in the wake of party’s dismal performance in the Lok Sabha election. The demand for Priyanka has been on the rise and the view gaining ground is that if the party delays her entry she too will lose her charm. Congress feels she is their last hope and now the sentiment is being expressed by Gandhi family loyalists like ML Fotedar. Latest voice to demand the same is of the family retainer Oscar Fernandes. JP Aggarwal has also been heard saying that if Priyanka can be used in the Rae Bareilly and Amethi constituencies, why is she not being used in other constituencies. But now it is certain that she is coming. Priyanka will be the Congress president’s Diwali gift to the party.
Disciplinarian prime minister
Narendra Modi, like a good headmaster, knows how to keep his students in discipline. Last week, Orissa’s Jual Oram, the tribal affairs minister of the Modi government, went to meet the PM in his office. After exchanging pleasantries, the PM asked him where was the presentation which he was supposed to make to the PM about his ministry and his agenda of 100 days. Oram looked baffled and his ignorance infuriated the PM. He was then told to go back prepare and come back immediately. Oram, however, did not take Modi’s words as seriously. He went back home and went off to sleep but within an hour he was woken up by a call from the PMO. The prime minister was furious at his careless behaviour on learning that Oram was sleeping when he should have been working on his presentation. He was given the ultimatum that the PM wants to meet him next day in the morning at 10 am sharp ready with his presentation. Oram had no option but to get up and start work. Oram is not the only one who was disciplined. Even Prakash Javadekar, the environment and IB minister, was on his way to catch a flight to Europe to attend a global conference when he received a call from the PMO asking him if he was dressed in casuals. The minister who was wearing a T-shirt and a pair of jeans was then asked to change into formals or a ‘decent’ Indian dress. The stumped minister had nothing on hand as his entire clothes had been packed and were sent off in the baggage. He had to immediately call up his house and ask for a set of clothes. He somehow managed to change in time before boarding the plane.
Yet another Congress gaffe
Ignorance is bliss for many people. This is just apt for two Congress leaders – Ambika Soni, the general secretary in charge of Jammu & Kashmir and the AICC communication department chief Ajay Maken. Both these leaders have incurred the wrath of the Congress leadership for including the name of a dead man Mohammad Aslam in the selection panel. Sonia Gandhi had even sent her condolences when Aslam had died but both the general secretaries in-charge of the northern state and the communication head were not even aware of the death of someone who was not only a member or an MLA but even the CLP leader of the party in J&K. This has come as a shock for the state unit leaders as well as for the top brass of the party. The panel was released by Maken on the day when his family was observing his chaaliswan, the fortieth day since his death, important as it is the last ritual for the dead among Muslims. But worse is the fact that Maken was not entitled to release the list as it should have gone with the signatures of Janardhan Dwivedi, the general secretary in charge of the organisation. But because of their personal rivalry with Dwivedi, Soni made the list and Maken released it making the faux pass.
Congress feels the Chidu pinch
The former Finance minister P Chidambaram is being SORELY missed by the Congress leadership. The party is toying with the idea of bringing him back in Rajya Sabha. The perception gaining ground in the party is that Congress is in needs if an articulate person with strong legal and economic knowledge and background with good hold over oratory. Though Manmohan Singh is there who behaviour the criteria of having a good hold over economics but his presence in the house is of no use as he does not speak at all. The party needs someone to counter people like Narendra Modi or Arun Jaitley. Even Ghulam Nabi who is known as a great organisational manager is not so articulate nor has the competence to counter Modi and his agenda the party is now seriously thinking of bringing PC to the upper house.
When Modi broke the law
Narendra Modi, who carried 3,000 kg of sandalwood to offer at Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, perhaps does not know that he has committed a crime. And violated the law. According to the law, sandalwood can neither be exported nor can anyone take it out of the country! (IPA)