Himachal confidential

Despite being out of power, the Congress is in a jubilant mood after it won over senior BJP leader Narender Thakur in CM Dhumal8217;s home district.

8216;Fevi8217;Kaul Singh

Despite being out of power, the Congress is in a jubilant mood after it won over senior BJP leader Narender Thakur in CM Dhumal8217;s home district. Last week, Karan Singh, a former BJP minister, also joined the party. Moreover, Vijai Singh Mankotia, BSP8217;s state convenor, has also resigned from politics. The developments have brought a new name for party chief Kaul Singh Thakur, who is now being called 8216;Fevi-Kaul Singh8217;, a 8216;reliable bonding agent8217;.

Unexpected support

After IAS officer Subhash Ahluwalia8217;s arrest, he has found his allies retreating into the background. Even the Congress is on a backfoot and totally mum over the issue. However, at a time when friends and colleagues are afraid of meeting him, he got support from a human rights8217; body. After his discharge from IGMC, when his family was demanding medical aid, Arvind Thakur of Global Human Rights Council knocked on his door and heard the family patiently. The outcome is still awaited.

Raj yog after 14 yrs

A senior bureaucrat, Sarojini Thakur, has returned to her home cadre after 14 years. She was on a foreign assignment and now will take charge of the state8217;s environment plans, a field that has got a national award to CM P.K. Dhumal. Her fellow bureaucrats feel that the portfolio of environment has come to her as 8220;raj yog8221; after 14 years. It8217;s a different story that her husband Ashok Thakur, an additional secretary in the HRD ministry, left the state for Central deputation only three months back.

What an idea!

After a meeting on climate change, CM P.K. Dhumal, in his address, narrated an old story and said, 8220;I wish everyone who is here had just one ear so that the good ideas heard through one ear were not lost through the other.8221; The story also was a subtle message for all senior officers who were indirectly given a signal about the seriousness of the big boss in seeing the idea bear fruit.

The 8216;secret8217;

Prof Ravindra Nath, a noted climate change expert, while making a presentation at a workshop on the subject, counted Himachal8217;s advantages for becoming the first carbon-neutral state. In his excitement, Prof Nath declared, 8220;Please keep it a secret so other states don8217;t come to know about it!8221; One wonders if it8217;s possible!