Blow to plans

Even as the Congress is grappling with the problem of sitting MPs and ministers opting out of the Lok Sabha contest, there is suddenly a scramble in the party with senior leaders offering to contest against BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in Varanasi. While former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri’s son Anil Shastri, who had been elected from Varanasi in 1989, has expressed willingness to contest from there again if the party asks him to, two more leaders, including Rajya Sabha MPs Digvijaya Singh and Anand Sharma, are also said to be keen on taking on Modi. These potential and aspiring giant-killers may have to wait though as the party high command is in no hurry to finalise the candidate for Varanasi that goes to poll in the last phase on May 12.

HEALTH FIRST
Anticipating a hot summer during the Lok Sabha polls, the Election Commission of India is not taking any chances in ensuring the well-being of those engaged in poll duties. The EC has decided to provide oral rehydration salts (ORS) to all the polling parties. The polling parties will also be directed to provide these ORS mixtures to any voter who might require it due to extreme heat conditions. Authorities have also been directed to prepare a hand-bill of “Dos and Donts” to tackle heat-stroke cases.

MINISTER’S CHOICE

Joint Secretary level vacancy in the HRD Ministry has been filled by a surprise candidate. While 1995-batch IAS officers from the ministry’s School Education department — Maninder Kaur Dwivedi and M Ariz Ahammed, who are about to be empanelled as JS — were said to be in the running, it is finally Y S K Seshu Kumar who has got the job. There is a good reason for his elevation too. Kumar, an Indian Forest Service officer of 1987 batch from Uttar Pradesh cadre, who took over as JS Adult Education in the ministry on Wednesday, was Officer on Special Duty to minister M M Pallam Raju. Kumar, in fact, has been with Raju since his days as MoS, Defence.

THE REPLACEMENT

The Koraput Central University in Orissa is faced with a peculiar problem these days: who should replace current V-C Surabhi Banerjee, whose term has ended. As per the directions from the HRD Ministry, the senior most professor should be given charge. However, the Koraput varsity, being a rather young one, apparently has only assistant professors on its rolls. An exasperated Banerjee has now sought to know from the ministry as to how she can hand over charge to an assistant professor. It is learnt that the ministry is considering giving the V-C of Hyderabad’s Maulana Azad National Urdu University additional charge of Koraput varsity until a full-time V-C is appointed.