Delhi confidential: Conspiracy theory

BROTHERS IN ARMS

While there have been many instances of famous siblings serving in the air force, for the first time two brothers are serving together as Air Marshals. With the appointment of S P B Sinha as the Deputy Chief of Air Staff, the IAF now has the Sinha brothers as the first-ever sibling pair at the three-star general rank. S P B Sinha joins his elder brother B B P Sinha to the three-star rank. The older Sinha is the DG (Works and Ceremony). In the past, two out of the four engineer brothers had reached the three-star rank but never served together at that position. While Aspy Engineer was the air chief from 1960-64, his younger brother Minoo Engineer got his three stars after Aspy retired.

BLANK FIRE

Congress leader Adhir Chowdhury has written to Rahul Gandhi and senior party leader Oscar Fernandes saying that statements by Sonia Gandhi’s political secretary Ahmed Patel that the party was open to supporting a Third Front was creating confusion among Congress workers. He said Patel’s statement has also led people to believe there could be a tacit “pact” between Congress and TMC. Given that Patel has denied having made any such statement, Choudhury’s letter has not amused the top brass.

EXIT MODE

As the tenure of UPA II comes to a close, there is an air of farewell in the corridors of power. When Minority Affairs Minister K Rehman Khan dropped in at his ministry recently, officials told him he would have to be present at the inauguration of the new building of Central Wakf Council “either as a chief guest” if he continued as minister or as a guest of honour.