Lucknownama

Holidays unplugged

After Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav declared a holiday on the occasion of the annual urs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer,several groups have raised demands for holidays as a mark of respect to their luminaries. Stamps and Registration Minister Aridaman Singh has written a letter to the CM demanding a holiday on Rana Pratap’s birth anniversary. Minister of State for Secondary Education Vijay Bahadur Pal demanded a holiday on May 31,the birth anniversary of Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar. Akhilesh has assured to take an early decision on their demands.

Reception signal

The welcome that BJP youth wing’s new state president Ashutosh Rai received last week has been much talked about in the party. Rai drove from Delhi to Lucknow in a cavalcade over two days,and was welcomed at more than 30 places on the way. In Lucknow,a grand function was organised where all senior leaders,including state BJP president Laxmikant Bajpai,were present. Many youths carried firearms. Ashutosh hosted a dinner for party workers where they were also handed over food packets for family members. Laxmikant Bajpai was surprised to see the arrangements. By comparison,his own welcome after becoming state president was a far modest affair.

At arms’ length

Ten days have passed since history-sheeter and former BSP MLA Chandrabhadra Singh alias Sonu Singh joined BJP,but he has not visited the party office in Sultanpur and is maintaining a distance from local party leaders. In fact,BJP leaders,too,are keeping a distance from him,after seeing the attitude of Nitin Gadkari,Varun Gandhi and Laxmikant Bajpai who had asked the organisers of Swabhiman Rally in Sultanpur to keep Sonu away from the stage. Sonu did make a brief appearance on the podium,but the message that he is unwelcome has gone around.

Angel azam!

Known for his strong opposition to the BSP,Azam Khan also has a soft heart. During his Haj pilgrimage,he met BSP legislator Jasmeer Ansari and his wife Qaiser Jahan,who is MP from Sitapur. The couple informed him that they had come to pray for a child. Azam then told them about one of his relatives,who is a well-known gynaecologist at Aligarh,and said she could be helpful. After reaching Lucknow,Khan called up Ansari and took the couple to Aligarh for consultation with the gynaecologist. The couple had no words of praise for Azam Khan.

Up in air

Jagjivan Prasad,Officer on Special Duty to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav,is an old associate of his father Mulayam Singh Yadav. He invited the CM to lay the foundation of his new law college in Bakshi Ka Talab. After Akhilesh’s programme was finalised,Jagjivan Prasad was informed,but he sent it back,with a note that the CM should arrive by a helicopter. The CM’s programme was accordingly revised and he flew to Bakshi Ka Talab,a distance of mere 15 kilometres from Lucknow,in a chopper.