Keeping Low

Swaraj’s speech during the debate on the Bill was not telecast by Lok Sabha TV due to the Speaker’s diktat.

Lok Janshakti Party president Ramvilas Paswan, who surely has a penchant for being in news, has stayed away from limelight ever since he made yet another somersault from the so-called secularists’ camp to the BJP. Instead, his son Chirag has been at the forefront, vigorously trying to justify his father’s decision. Sr Paswan may have achieved twin objectives by staying in the background — to project his son as the heir apparent of the party and to avoid responding to rather uncomfortable queries about post-Godhra riots and his shifting stances.

PUSH FOR SON

Rajasthan Governor Margaret Alva has put the Congress top brass in a dilemma. The former Congress leader is lobbying for a Lok Sabha ticket for her son Nivedith from North Kannada constituency. Neither Congress president Sonia Gandhi nor vice-president Rahul Gandhi is said to be enthused by the idea. At the same time, however, they are said to be wary of upsetting Alva. The party leadership had invited her wrath in 2008 Karnataka Assembly election after her son was denied a ticket. She had then alleged role of money in the distribution of tickets — a remark that had forced the Congress high command to drop the Nehru-Gandhi family loyalist from all party posts. Last year, during the AICC meet in Jaipur, the Governor had taken great pains to do up a room in Raj Bhawan for Sonia but the latter had chosen to stay in a hotel.

AWAITING GO-AHEAD

Adding to the general state of confusion, many Congress general secretaries in charge of states and state Congress chiefs are anxiously waiting for a signal from Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who is said to be in favour of fielding senior party functionaries in the election. For instance, while Ajmer MP and Rajasthan PCC chief Sachin Pilot is preparing to contest, AICC general secretary in charge of the state and MP Gurudas Kamat has already informed the high command that he would be contesting again. Similarly, general secretary B K Hari Prasad, who had almost turned the party’s fortune in Chhattisgarh, has been recommended for four constituencies in Karnataka. He may not be amused though, given that his detractors are only trying to push him out of his stronghold in Bangalore. Many other functionaries like Madhya Pradesh and Bihar PCC chiefs are also keen to contest. These leaders are, however, not sure whether Rahul would let them confine themselves to their own constituencies, leaving the party rudderless in the states. Rahul has chosen to keep all of them in a limbo.

SPEAKING OUT

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As the Manmohan Singh government prepares to walk into the sunset, the PMO’s communications advisor Pankaj Pachauri seems to have finally decided to aggressively bat for the government. He has started giving interviews to the media starting with state-owned Doordarshan and All India Radio. Chances are that appearances in other media outlets will follow soon.

MAKING UP

Having drawn flak for ordering black-out of proceedings of the House during passage of the contentious Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar tried to placate Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj by gifting her a sari.

Swaraj’s speech during the debate on the Bill was not telecast by Lok Sabha TV due to the Speaker’s diktat. A gracious Swaraj reciprocated the gesture.

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