| Published on 03-10-2008 In General |
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Insider |
The famous siblings' walk, why?
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The unusual sight of the most famous siblings walking in the heart of Delhi has sent Congressmen into a tizzy. Is it marriage that is on top of Rahul Gandhi's agenda with sister Priyanka acting as a wedding planner? Or her protective arm around the brother signified something political. Is Rahul, keen to introduce a whiff of fresh air in country's grand old political outfit, bit fed-up with goings-on? Is ground zero Uttar Pradesh that is the cause of strain reflecting on young MP's youthful face?
The kilometer long walk at Lodhi Estate on an unusually pleasant afternoon in end week of September has triggered off many speculations. There is growing consensus that more than marriage alliance, it was tie-up with Samajwadi Party that is bothering Rahul Gandhi. The problem with the AICC team negotiating a protracted seat-adjustment formula with is that it is proving to be ill-equipped to meet Mulayam Singh Yadav-Amar Singh-Ramgopal Yadav trio. Congress' Digvijay Singh spends most time settling scores with the fellow Thakur, Amar Singh, while Rita Bahugana Joshi, the current UPCC chief seems to be too enamored by SP leaders who used to be her political masters not-so-long-ago. It leaves Rahul in a bit of spot as he with his famous surname and good-will to offer has to tame the Samajwadis.
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Shivraj Patil's snub to Amar
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Amar Singh too is running out of patience. Unable to make headway on seat-adjustment, Amar was stunned when union home minister Shivraj Patil asked him to go to the nearest police station instead of complaining to him about an alleged blackmail bid. Twice Amar is said to have impressed upon Shivraj that, "main Amar Singh bol raha hoon"! But the home minister did not get the message. Perhaps in snubbing Amar, Shivraj was taking a leaf from Amar's mentor Chandrashekhar's book. When Chandrashekhar was prime minister for a very short time, he was approached by Janata parivar to probe Bofors' charges against Rajiv Gandhi. Chandrashekhar had got angry and retorted, "it is the job of a sub-inspector and not the prime minister."
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Oscar falling from grace?
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The political stocks of union labour minister Oscar Fernandes have fallen drastically following his move to withdraw his insensitive remark over lynching of a Noida-based CEO. Oscar was asked to apologize after his ministerial colleagues Kapil Sibal and Kamal Nath exerted pressure on the high command. In Congress circles, Oscar's move to eat words is seen as a blow to his status in the party. Once upon a time it was said that "if you can not ask her (Sonia) go to Oscar."
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Mahajan progenies
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With Rahul Mahajan holding fort at Big Boss, sister Poonam is all set to contest Lok Sabha polls against Milind Deora from South Mumbai. Poonam's uncle Gopinath Munde is claimed to have managed support from both the BJP and Shiv Sena over her candidature. But former BJP MP Jaywantiben Mehta is proving to be defiant.
She wondered how Munde could make such a pronouncement when she has not ruled herself out. A politically correct Poonam currently camping in Rajasthan to chip in for the state assembly said she will abide by the high command's decision.
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What's Shekhawat upto?
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Bhairon Baba is back in action but not everyone in the BJP is happy with his new role. The former vice president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat has announced that he will be launching a crusade against corruption and graft. Normally nobody should be having problems with it. But Shekhawat's itinerary has rattled the BJP ruled states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh. The chief ministers of these BJP-ruled states wonder why Shekhawat is raking up corruption issue when assembly polls in these states are just round the corner.
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Winds of change in CBI
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The new CBI director, Ashwani Kumar has earned himself many admirers in the organization. The down-to-earth chief has begun a practice of granting leave to his driver on Sundays and all other holidays when the CBI director drives himself. His simplicity is seen as a whiff of change in the premier investigating agency.
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Bonding through books
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The personal rapport between L.K. Advani and Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi is a reminder of Advani-Vajpayee chemistry that showed for decades how the two powerful persons in an organization can get along handsomely. The other day, Narendra Modi presented an e-book reader to BJP's prime ministerial nominee. Advani an avid book reader loved the gift that it has a capacity to store as many as 150 of his favourite books. E-book is the digital media equivalent of a conventional printed book. Such documents are usually read on personal computers, or on dedicated hardware devices known as e-book readers or e-book devices.
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Ignored in death
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The Dracula is dead but nobody in Bollywood took a note of it. Actor Marc Zuber, India born British actor died at a young age but very few of his colleagues in the film industry took notice of his passing away let alone mourn death of a talented actor. A veteran of over 70 films, dramas and soap operas including Hindi films Yeh Nazdeekiyan, Kamla, among others, Zuber died a disillusioned man when frustration drove him to more and more into drinking and his death in London failed to find notice in Mumbai. Zuber was well remembered for his 'The Satanic Rites of Dracula,' 'Jinnah' and Shingora.
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Presidential lack of parity
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Manmohan Singh is not alone in looking up to the United States. When the issue of hiking presidential salary came for discussion, the bureaucrats too looked at the US president's salary and perks. In the process of calculations where Indian rupee was converted into dollar with a variant degree, the bureaucrats reached to a conclusion that Pratibha was paid at least ten times less than her American counterpart. Looks like it will take a while to restore that parity. |
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