THIS WAS one ‘sting’ no journalists wanted to be a part of. During the meeting of INDIA bloc floor leaders at Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence Thursday evening, an attack by a swarm of bees forced Congress workers as well as journalists to run for cover. Just when mediapersons were entering the premises to cover the meeting, some Youth Congress members were seen running towards them trying to evade the bees. Those who could find a cloth to cover themselves managed to escape the attack; the others, including security personnel and journalists, were not as lucky. Sources said a beehive on a tree in the lawn of Kharge’s residence was perhaps disturbed, leading to the bee attack. Close Allies The bonding between ‘UP ke do ladke’ — Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and SP chief Akhikesh Yadav — has been talked about ever since the two parties made a remarkable comeback in the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh. On Thursday, the MPs got a glimpse of their friendship when Rahul entered the Lok Sabha chamber for the Presidential address. Akhilesh, who had made his senior party colleague and Faizabad MP Awadesh Prasad sit in the front row, took a seat in one of the back rows. On not finding him in the front row, Rahul, who is now the Leader of the Opposition, asked his party colleagues about the SP chief. Eventually, Akhilesh was persuaded to sit in the second row behind Rahul. Green Pledge Union Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan seems to be on the path of creating a unique record. Chouhan has planted over a dozen saplings in the national capital since he assumed office on June 11, as part of his pledge to plant a tree every day. These saplings, mostly mangoes, have been planted at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa campus, and Madhya Pradesh Bhawan in Chanakyapuri. On one or two occasions, Chouhan was joined by his deputy Bhagirath Chaudhary in planting saplings. Whenever the BJP leader goes to another city, he plants a sapling there. Last week, Chouhan went to Bhopal where he planted a sapling at the BJP office.
