Delhi Confidential: Feet On Ground

Union Minister for Home and Cooperation Amit Shah annually visits his village on the occasion of Bhaidooj and the second day of Navratri and participates in the meeting of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS). Shah, himself a cooperative leader, revealed this on Monday during an event to mark the 100th International Day of Cooperatives. During the event, Shah’s Cabinet colleague Parshottam Rupala took a jibe at cooperative leaders and asked them how they contribute to the sector. Shah, who spoke after the Union minister, responded, “Rupala-saab, no matter how busy I am, even today I attend the AGM of my PACS.” The Home Minister mentioned that he visits the PACS office especially on the days of Bhaidooj and the second day of Navratri, and thinks about how to take the PACS forward.

Clarifying Mode

On Monday, BJP leaders who returned to Delhi after the national executive in Hyderabad had to be in a damage-control mode immediately upon landing. A photo of Union minister R C P Singh being felicitated by a group of BJP leaders was shown by the local media in Bihar to indicate the JD(U) leader was joining BJP. The BJP leaders said the photo, against the backdrop of a banner on the party’s meeting, was taken at Hyderabad airport. A BJP team was receiving and felicitating party leaders, and even mediapersons, arriving at the airport for the party conclave, they said. When they saw Singh, who was in Hyderabad to attend a ministerial meeting, they garlanded him as well, “because he is an NDA leader”, party leaders clarified.