Loan calculation

While the UP Congress celebrated Rahul Gandhi’s birthday as “Farmers’ rights day” by organising chaupals in villages,the birthday boy was holidaying abroad. Many partymen were under the impression that he would be back home for his birthday. Since this did not happen,the Congressmen were worried: how will Rahul Gandhi know what all they had done on his birthday? Congressmen in other states may be also celebrating his birthday,but it was UP Congressmen who were taking forward the good work he had started at Bhatta-Parsaul. With Assembly elections approaching,it is all the more necessary that their work is noticed by the one man who matters most in ticket distribution. Not taking chances,they got photos of their work clicked for presenting to Rahul Gandhi whenever he comes back.

Aid rush

Last week saw leaders of political parties rushing to Nighasan to express solidarity with the family of 14-year-old girl Sonam,who was allegedly raped and killed by policemen on the premises of the local police station. Soon it turned into a competition of sorts. A delegation of SP started it by offering Rs 1 lakh to the family. When leaders of the Peace Party of India got to know about it,they announced they would pay Rs 1.21 lakh. In the evening came the BJP delegation,led by the party’s state president S P Shahi. It did not carry any money,but after it got to know about the SP and PPI’s gesture,a senior BJP leader asked local partymen to arrange Rs 50,000 for the bereaved family. Like the BJP,Congress leaders too did not carry any money,but state Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi announced that they would send Rs 2 lakh. For Sonam’s parents,who survive hand to mouth,this was certainly big help.

Right connections

Beni Prasad Verma may be a late entrant in the Congress,but nevertheless he is entertaining ticket seekers from several districts of central UP,including Lucknow,Barabanki,Gonda,Faizabad,Lakhimpur,Behraich,Basti and Siddharthanagar. His supporters have spread the word that Verma has direct access to Rahul Gandhi and that he will have a say in deciding the tickets for 50 to 60 seats. Worried,many Congress leaders who were never really pally with each other have now come together to counter Verma. But Verma seems undeterred and the line of ticket-seekers outside his Lucknow and Delhi offices keeps growing.