Lucknownama: Safe route for Rahul

Letters of contention

Last week,Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh’s letter to Chief Minister Mayawati,and her angry response,made headlines. However,letters from another central minister,which are more frequent,never make news. Sources said Union Home Minister P Chidambaram keeps writing regularly on subjects like terror threat,communal tensions and law and order. After the opposition attack on him over the 2G scam,the flow of Chidambaram’s letters almost dried up,only to resume after some time. His last letter came on October 10. He advised the state to be extra cautious to check possible incidents of communal violence. An official said Chidambaram’s letters always get full attention because he does not indulge in politicking.

Unwilling to budge

After his unceremonious removal as Labour Minister on charges of land grab and corruption,Badshah Singh has been extensively touring Mahoba constituency — doesn’t matter if the ruling BSP has decided to field sitting MLA Rakesh Goswami again. Singh had been keen to contest from Mahoba since his constituency Maudaha was abolished in the delimitation. In the last few years,he spent more time in Mahoba than in Lucknow. Now,he may no longer be a minister but he does not want to give up Mahoba. During his visits to villages,Badshah Singh does not talk about elections,nor does he comment on the party’s decision; instead,he asks people what he should do in the current situation. Local BSP functionaries are worried. Sources said PWD Minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui,who also comes from Bundelkhand,was asked to tackle Badshah Singh,and he asked him to choose between Chindwari and Hamirpur constituencies. But Badshah Singh does not seem to be interested in either.

Suspense build-up

The BJP has been resisting pressure from ticket aspirants to announce its candidates early,but at least one name is out. At a party function in Deoria district,vice-president Vinay Katiyar declared from the stage that state president Surya Pratap Shahi will contest from Pathardeva. Others present on the occasion greeted Shahi. For Shahi,the suspense is over. For others,however,it will end only after November 17 when the BJP has planned a big rally in Ayodhya on the conclusion of its Jan Swabhiman Yatras. The party is holding back the list because it apprehends that those denied ticket may not cooperate in the yatras,or the rally.

Voter turnout

Those who believe urban voters are apathetic to elections should have seen the crowds at the voter registration fair on Saturday. The large turn-out surprised even the Chief Electoral Office and the Lucknow district administration. Officials said they received more than 15,000 applications,of which more than 12,000 were for inclusion of names in the electoral rolls and issuance of photo identity cards. The huge turnout,however,raises a question over the special summary revision of electoral rolls which was held on the orders of the Election Commission. Under this exercise,booth-level officers were supposed to visit every house and ensure registration of every eligible voter. Obviously,15,000 voters in the city were left out in the summary revision which,originally scheduled to end on Saturday,has now been extended till November 11.