Chandigarh Confidential

Love and longing

Punjab Chief Secretary Subodh Chand Agrawal’s innings as CS may be longer than he would like. Ever since he was shortlisted for the post of Union Home Secretary in the run up to G K Pillai’s retirement on June 30,Agrawal had made his displeasure known at the change of station. After Union Home Minister P Chidambaram called him for an interview,speculation was rife that he had emerged as a frontrunner for the plum posting. However,with Bihar cadre officer R.K Singh eventually bagging the top job,Agrawal is breathing easy. But much as he would like to hang up his boots before he retires next year,he cannot do so till Punjab goes to polls. The reason: Of the two contenders likely to succeed him,one is said to be unacceptable to the government while the other may not accept the charge till the elections. So,Agrawal may have to wait till the polls for what Punjab has to offer,which is most likely the chairmanship of the soon-to-be-formed Right to Services Commission.

Foreign shores

As it rains in Punjab,the Badals have either hit foreign shores or planning to go. While Manpreet Badal is planning to go to the US by this month-end with his contingent to garner NRI support for his People’s Party of Punjab and is expected back by mid-August,cousin and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal’s destination continues to remain a mystery. The confirmation is that he is on a family holiday with wife,Bathinda Member of Parliament Harsimrat Kaur Badal,and children. Also out on vacation in the UK and Spain is Congress MLA Jassi Khangura with his family. Rural Development Minister Ranjit Singh Brahmpura has just returned from his trip abroad. Before they hit Punjab’s dusty roads ahead of next year’s polls,more and more Punjab netas,it seems,are taking out time to unwind in foreign lands.

All the king’s ‘men’

Ever since appointment of Capt Amarinder Singh as Punjab Congress president,there is clamour among Congress leaders to be seen as erstwhile ‘maharaja’s’ men. Even among those seen frequently with him,there is talk of ‘real’ and ‘opportunist’ supporters. Each accuses the other of deserting the Captain’s camp in the hour of need,after Congress was routed in the 2007 polls. But among all those who want to be seen as the ‘chosen’ ones,there is unanimity on at least how they address him. He is still ‘maharaja sa’ab’. One party veteran has a rather interesting observation to make. “Those who do not call him maharaja sa’ab,also did not figure in his list for Punjab Congress Committee,” he quipped. So,those who did not make it to the state committee made a beeline to Leader of Congress Legislative Party Rajinder Kaur Bhattal’s camp. Now,that the expansion of the PPCC likely to get the nod of Congress president Sonia Gandhi,Bhattal is now trying to play the ‘statesman’- camping in New Delhi and echoing the cause of ‘disgruntled’ leaders and how the committee cannot afford to just have Captain’s ‘yes’ men.