Delhi confidential: Seat selection

Katoch who is married into the royal family of Kangra in Himachal Pradesh was also not too keen on contesting from Jodhpur again.

Upset over being denied a BJP ticket to contest Lok Sab-ha elections from Barmer, Jaswant Singh at some point also considered contesting from Jodhpur. However, with the Congress fielding sitting MP Chandresh Kumari Katoch, the sister of erstwhile Jodhpur ruler Mahraja Gaj Singh, from Jodhpur, Singh who is said to be close to the family was not keen on this contest. Incidentally, Katoch who is married into the royal family of Kangra in Himachal Pradesh was also not too keen on contesting from Jodhpur again and wanted to shift to Himachal Pardesh but the Congress did not favour the switch.

Tragic tale

The family of Mohan Kumaramangalam — former Union minister in Indira Gandhi’s cabinet and Congress leader who died in an airline crash in 1973 — has had to deal with another airline tragedy. His grandson Muktesh Mukherjee was present on the ill-fated Malaysian flight that crashed in the Indian Ocean. The tragedy has hit the family at a time when another grandson — son of Rangarajan Kumaramangalam who had quit the Congress to join the BJP — has been given a Congress ticket from Salem. The grandson, also called Mohan, will make the electoral debut from a constituency his father represented from 1981 to 1996.
Varying yardsticks

With the division of Andhra still a critical issue, the Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to give an extension to joint secretary (centre-state) relation, S Suresh Kumar, till May 31 this year. Kumar, a West Bengal cadre IAS officer, was set to complete his deputation on March 31. He was instrumental in the formation of Telangana and was also lauded by Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde but after the announcement of June 2 as Telangana day, the Home Ministry decided to give him an extension. However, another JS, Lokesh Jha, who was handling VIP security and other international portfolio reportedly has not been given an extension. Jha, a J&K cadre IAS officer, will also complete his central deputation on March 31.

Money watch

In addition to declaring details of their deposits, investments, property details and assets and liabilities while filing their nomination papers, those contesting the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls will also have to declare details of all deposits and investments they have made in foreign banks or any other body or institution located abroad. Candidates will also now be required to declare details of all assets and liabilities they have in foreign lands. The move follows several complaints to the Election Commission wherein it was alleged that many candidates were deliberately choosing not to declare details of investments and acquisitions they had made in foreign countries.

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