Lucknownama

Signal on
Ajit Singh is keen to revive relations with the Samajwadi Party,but the SP does not appear interested. Singh’s party had voted for the UPA government when the Left parties moved cut motions in the Lok Sabha during the budget debate on April 27. In return,the Congress had reportedly promised to accommodate Singh and his son in the Union ministry. Three months have passed,but Singh is still waiting. The SP leadership believes his overtures are actually meant to send a signal to the Congress that he can’t wait for ever.

Cong vacuum
For all the talk about revival of the Congress,the party is finding it difficult to select a strong candidate for the assembly by-election in Lakhimpur Kheri,which is expected shortly. The only serious candidate is Saif Ali Naqvi,son of party parliamentarian Jafar Ali Naqvi. He enjoys the backing of many senior leaders who are projecting him as a fresh,young face. It is argued that Naqvi senior will do all he can to ensure his son’s victory in a seat which may prove tough for the Congress to win. Critics of the move,however,point out that Naqvi junior could not even become a delegate to the Lakhimpur Kheri assembly segment of the Youth Congress in the recent organisational elections.

Counting chickens
While state BJP chief Surya Pratap Shahi takes his time to finalise his team,many leaders are convinced that they are going to be part of it. And they have even started talking about the rooms they would like to occupy at the party headquarters,the facilities these rooms should have and how they would work. Some want quiet corners where they can work undisturbed,others want rooms in the front,in prominent positions. Then there are those who want a room close to that of the party president. The problem is that no one may actually get a room to himself. In all probability,all office-bearers except Shahi will have to share rooms with more than one person. The party,at least,is trying to ensure that all rooms have ACs — it may even help keep tempers cool.

Identity crisis?
A few days ago,Dr Vijai Sinha,honorary general secretary of the Badminton Association of India (BAI),issued a statement criticising “the undue publicity being given to the so-called relationship between star shuttler Jwala Gutta and former Indian cricket team captain Mohammad Azharuddin”. The statement went on to suggest that “certain individuals within the BAI” had spread these reports just because Azhar-uddin had expressed a desire to contest for the post of president of BAI. Asked to identify the “individuals within BAI”,Sinha refused,saying he had issued the statement in his personal capacity,and passed the phone to his secretary,who said his boss had issued the statement as “a responsible sports activist”. This,when the statement identified Sinha as “honorary general secretary of BAI” in the first paragraph. A case of acting first and thinking later?

Amar doesn’t forget
EVEN six months after the public spat with his party,expelled SP leader and unattached Rajya Sabha member Amar Singh,maintains a personal grudge with his detractors in the party. He caught hold of newly appointed SP Rajya Sabha member Mohan Singh while entering Parliament to congratulate him. Mohan Singh,who barely managed to get the berth after Jaya Bachchan refused renomination,accepted the greetings only to be shocked by Amar Singh’s next sentence: “Aap ne mujhe besharm kaha tha.” Caught off guard,Mohan Singh responded,“Kabhi nahin kaha.” This was met with a standard Amar Singh response,“I have CDs to prove that you called me names.” “You show me and I will apologise,” Mohan Singh said,excusing himself. In another instance of bitterness in the relationship,Mulayam Singh’s son Akhilesh had to reschedule his flight to Lucknow after he came to know that “Uncle Amar Singh” was boarding the same plane.