Cat among Pigeons

Modern day Kalis

UP Chief Minister Mayawati’s attempt to settle scores with Mulayam Singh Yadav by registering 137 cases against him is embarrassing for some in the BJP. But her female counterpart down south, Jayalalithaa, is about to stir up far more trouble, if her bid to arrest NDA ally M. Karunanidhi under POTA succeeds. Already Jayalalithaa has invoked POTA against R.R. Gopal, editor of Nakkeeran, charging him with various crimes from sedition to the arms act and murder. Jayalalithaa hopes that Gopal can be ‘‘persauded’’ to confess that at the behest of the then Chief Minister Karunanidhi a large sum of money was conveyed to kidnapper-smuggler Veerappan to secure the release of film star Rajkumar. Two senior TN police officers are being coerced to reveal their role in the payments.

The vengeful Jayalalithaa is also targeting neighbouring Chief Minister S.M. Krishna in her probe. Former Karnataka DG of Police C. Dinakar had already brought out the complicity of both Karunanidhi and Krishna in his book Veerappan’s prize catch Rajkumar.

Janata Jugglers

Subramaniam Swamy’s Janata Party has been rejuvenated with the entry of high-profile industrialist Vijay Mallya. Former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar is expected to follow suit and merge his Samajwadi Janata Party with the JP. With money (Mallya), brains (Swamy) and seasoned leadership (Chandrashekahr), the party is certain that it is going places. But S.R. Bommai from the rival Akhil Bharatiya Janata Dal is convinced that the vital ingredient of grassroots support and a caste base is missing from the new combine. However, Bommai’s own plans of reuniting with H.D. Deve Gowda’s Janata (Secular) are yet to fructify.

And where does Sharad Yadav, president of the Janata Dal (U), fit in these new configurations? Of the 11 JD(U) MLAs in Bihar, three have already joined Laloo Yadav, and it is feared that the remaining eight may follow suit. The loyalties of the party’s nine MPs is uncertain. Yadav is himself exploring new options. An old socialist friend in Gehlot’s ministry is discussing the possibility of Yadav joining the Congress on the understanding that he is allowed to contest the Jabalpur constituency during the next general elections since Yadav is not hopeful of his chances from his present seat in Madhepura, Bihar. Yadav’s followers openly discuss the prospect of his leaving the NDA even as Yadav happily continues to enjoy the perks of being a minister. Another option is joining up with George Fernandes’ Samata Party.

Chilly North Block

Additional Director General of Police Himachal Pradesh, Dwarka Prasad, was verbally transferred to Delhi by Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal on his last day in office. Dhumal’s successor Veerbhadra Singh has yet to clear the transfer order and he is in no hurry to oblige since he accuses Prasad of trying to foist criminal cases against him during the recent assembly poll campaign. But despite the unfinished paperwork Prasad has already reported for duty at the Intelligence Bureau (IB) headquarters in Delhi. The senior police officer who was understandably apprehensive of remaining in his home state is getting a cold reception from the IB brass which does not take kindly to outsiders joining its ranks. A week after his arrival Prasad was still waiting for such standard amenities as an air conditioner, chairs for his visitors, a phone connection and a computer in his room at North Block.

Blanket Order

Secretary, Civil Aviation, K. Roy Paul, is not only the chairman of the Air India Board, but because there is no managing director for the last year-and-a-half he assumes that he is head of the administration as well. Sometime back, blankets about to be purchased by the airline were brought to the board meeting to be personally examined by the chairman before these could be approved. Which explains why professional decision-making and delegation of authority in Air India is still a far cry.