Cong146;s farmer friend missing

The meeting here of the six chief ministers of Congress-ruled states to discuss the drought called attention instead to a big omission.

Balram Jakhar, chairman of the Kisan, Khet 038; Majdoor department 8212; the party8217;s nodal agency that keeps track of farmers8217; problems countrywide 8212; was missing. He was unavailable for comment. But party sources close to him said: 8216;8216;It8217;s like calling a high-level meet on foreign relations and keeping K. Natwar Singh Foreign Affairs cell chief out.8217;8217; The department often sets the agriculture agenda for party leaders.

More than 10 Janpath8217;s short memory, Jakhar loyalists are angry that economic experts such as Manmohan Singh and Jairam Ramesh, who are not so familiar with farmers8217; affairs, were promptly invited. So were Shivraj Patil and AICC general-secretary Ambika Soni.