Delhi Confidential: Not Available

Blame the Stars

BJP SEEMS to be extra careful in its political moves in the election scenario after some astrologers predicted a tough time for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the party. Astrologers have told the BJP leaders that with Jupiter entering the 10th house of his horoscope, the PM may not get the desired results even if he puts lot of hard work. Some in the BJP see the setback to the India-Pakistan talks and the Sensex crash in this backdrop. With “difficult time” expected to continue till April 2016, the BJP leadership has been advised by some to be extra cautious in seat sharing and ticket distribution for the Bihar elections.

Central Stint

NOTWITHSTANDING Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s reported reluctance to allow 2013-batch IAS officers belonging to the West Bengal cadre to begin their careers with a three-month stint at the Centre, the government has gone ahead and posted these 12 officers as Assistant Secretaries in various central ministries and departments. The government has, in fact, appointed 158 IAS officers of the same batch to these posts in a bid to get them exposure of working at the Centre before they go to their respective cadres. Mamata apparently was not too happy with the idea and instead wanted them to join the state immediately. That, however, will only happen after November 30 now when these officers complete their three-month stint.

Change in Course

WHILE THE Rural Development Ministry has been pushing for and insisting on Aadhaar-based payments in MGNREGA, its enthusiasm was dampened by a recent Supreme Court order limiting the use of Aadhaar. Not wanting to be seen as flouting the order, the ministry has issued written directions to all states to immediately comply with the apex court’s order. It has underlined that all earlier instructions stand superseded by this order.

Stepping Back

RAILWAYS IS going to withdraw a proposed bill to amend the Railway Act, which received criticism from both sides of the political divide in Parliament and then got a thumbs down from the Standing Committee as well. The Bill had sought to tweak the Act in a manner that put a stop to fraudulent compensation claims from those who fell off trains since it was felt that a large number of such claims were a result of an elaborate fraud. Despite a nod from the Cabinet, two successive ministers — D V Sadananda Gowda and Suresh Prabhu — could not build a consensus around the move. While Gowda could not defend the Bill in the Lok Sabha, Prabhu chose not to follow up.