Fly on the wall

The Prime Minister had planned to campaign on September 30 at Gauriganj in Amethi for the sitting BJP MP, Sanjay Singh. Since Friday was the last day of campaigning, Congress president and candidate Sonia Gandhi also decided to heli-hop the constituency on September 30.

The district administration put its foot down saying that it cannot make arrangements for two VVIPs the same day. Sonia wanted to be in five Assembly segments including in Gauriganj. After three days of arguments, it was suggested by the SPG that Sonia Gandhi could alter the timing. She relented reluctantly. She addressed meeting at noon while Atal behari Vajpayee arrived on the scene at 4 p.m.

Reluctant son

Rahul Gandhi has not made up his mind on what he would like to do after October 1. Though he accompanied his mother all through the month-longcampaign, he refused to come into the limelight. He would request the ANI TV crew, accompanying Sonia in the aircraft on a permanent basis, not to focus on him at all. He would take a backseat on the dais wherever Sonia addressed meetings. And once Sonia began speaking, he would quietly move to the make-shift staircase.

His mother is thinking of handing over the youth wing of the party to him and the women8217;s wing to Priayanka. But Rahul, it is learnt, is disinclined.Counting on superstitionThere are many reasons given by the Election Commission for delaying the counting. Here are a few: 8220;There could be a re-poll in some seats the next day. The re-poll could be held even on October 5 in certain remote areas of the North-east.8221;

Fine. But why can8217;t the counting begin on October 5 in the remaining 500-odd seats? 8220;Because the ballot boxes from these remote areas cannot reach safe places the same day.8221;

But the real reason, sources say, is superstition. The Election Commission believes certain days areinauspicious and does not want to start counting during the shradh days.

Nowhere to go

A number of Samajwadi Party leaders including former Communications Minister Beni Prasad Verma wanted to cross over to the BJP after being denied party tickets. So upset were they with Amar Singh8217;s growing clout in the party, that they decided to pack their bags.

But the BJP leadership was not ready.8220;How can we split the party of Mulayam Singh Yadav who single-handedly stopped Sonia Gandhi from becoming the Prime Minister in April?8221; was the counter-question.

Poor Beni! He had already turned down the offer from Congress8217; Salman Khursheed.