House for house campaign

The idea of a Left Democratic Front at the Centre, mooted by CPI general secretary A B Bardhan could be a very distant dream if the fallout from the Bihar poll results on the so-called Left and democratic forces is an indication. The search for a villain—one who spoilt the party for them—is on in the parties. A CPI(M) leader is going around telling the media that Ram Vilas Paswan spoilt the chances of the RJD-led alliance in as many as 19 seats. A CPI leader countered this by saying the LJP leader alone could not be blamed for the failure of the secular forces and everyone had to cop the blame for failing to provide a united front in Bihar. With the leftist so divided in states, can they come together at the Centre? An MP from Bengal had an analogy for an answer. Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, he said, did not have a healthy rivalry, yet when their players are picked for the national team, they play as one happy unit. One would have thought political agreements are more difficult than receiving a ball and putting into the net.

Riot-hit ladder

The Urban Development Ministry has quite a few babus awaiting promotions to better positions. One of them is P K Mishra, who is serving as member-secretary of the National Capital Region Board under the ministry. While many live in hope of a West-style suburban lifestyle with the NCR member states bringing about the infrastructural changes—metro, inter-state bus service, expressways—Mishra was hoping to get empanelled for a secretary-level appointment like the rest of his 1972 IAS batchmates. But the Gujarat-cadre official, despite his high ratings, got left out in the recent upgradation exercise. Apparently, the fact that he was Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s principal secretary during the 2002 riots worked against him.

Crafty manoeuvres

The camaraderie that was visible at the just concluded Indo-US air force exercise at Kalaikunda still suffered an undertone of tension throughout the duration of the exercise. The Americans, who passionately wanted to fly with the IAF’s Russian-made Sukhoi-30 MKI multi-role fighter, were snubbed at the last minute and made to fly with the Sukhoi-30K, the air defence variant of the same aircraft. A week before the exercises began in earnest, there were rapid exchanges between Air Headquarters and the Defence Ministry, where officers said it was not prudent to field the force’s best aircraft especially since the Americans would then be able to ‘‘record’’ its radar signature using its AWACS aircraft. To the IAF’s relief, the MoD finally agreed, but not before asking a whole lot of questions. As one Indian pilot said, ‘‘Would it be fair for us to demand that they bring the Stealth fighter?’’

Sticky Wicket

Can Haryana Congress leaders leave behind their bickerings while in the playing arena? Not quite, if you consider what happened when the Haryana MPs and MLAs played cricket at Gurgaon last week. It seems Chander Mohan, deputy chief minister and son of Bhajan Lal, withdrew his name from the team at the last minute when he realised that playing on the team of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda—his father’s bete noire—would be politically incorrect. However, Kuldeep Bishnoi, the other legislator son of Bhajan Lal, played; he was on the second team—the MPs’ XI—and so had no dilemmas.

Act and talk

Much is being made of statements in the US that Undersecretary for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns handed over a blueprint on how India should separate its civilian and military nuclear facilities. It has since been clarified by both sides that while ideas were exchanged, there was no infringement on what is essentially India’s sovereign decision. Government officials don’t deny that Washington has been giving ideas. After all, the US is pushing India’s case in the Nuclear Suppliers Group besides convincing its own Congress. But, it is learnt, India too presented its own ideas about the legislation the Bush Administration had to enact in the US Congress. Not only should the act seek removal of restrictions currently applied on non-NPT signatories, but it also had to lay the basis for healthy cooperation in this sector. More important than speculations, however, is the result of the Burns-Shyam Saran meeting last month. They agreed that the two governments would deal with each other and it was for either side to deal with domestic constituents—like the Congress or the Left in India. And there would no additional commitments sought aside from those made in the July 18 joint statement. It was also understood that it would be India which would prepare the roadmap for separating its nuclear facilities and the US would not insist on its complete implementation before enacting the legislation in the US.

Airborne on patriotism

The airline business never had it better in India. While it is all so crowded at the airports, new airlines continue to mushroom simply because never have so many people wanted to travel by air. It is tough for a public carrier to emerge from the old mindset and compete. To its credit, Indian Airlines has coped with the competition better than Air-India. Still, there is this quest to retain that space in the customer’s mind of being the ‘‘true Indian carrier’’. If brand names trigger a certain imagination, then what better than a patriotic feel. So officials are trying hard to replace the words ‘Indian Airlines’ or ‘IA’ on its craft to just ‘Indian’. If American Airlines can be American, United Air can be United, then why can’t IA be Indian? But what will the Maharaja’s take on IA’s new endeavour be?

Kannadiga Rashtra

One would credit Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti leaders with ignorance when they contend that Maharashtrians are at the receiving end from Kannadigas in Belgaum and the surrounding areas of Karnataka, for they only know half the truth. The Kannadigas rule over Maharashtra as well! Not convinced? Well, consider these: the highest post in Maharashtra—that of the governor—is held by S M Krishna, former chief minister of Karnataka. The affairs of the ruling party Congress in the state are overseen by another Kannadiga, AICC general secretary Margaret Alva. The Mumbai Regional Congress is headed by Gurudas Kamat, a Kannadiga. At least three people in the state ministry—Suresh Shetty, Vinay Kore and Siddharam Mhetre—hail from Karnataka. So does high-profile Lok Sabha member from Pune Suresh Kalmadi. Even Home Minister Shivraj Patil, a Lingayat, is considered more of a Kannadiga than a Maharashtrian.

The Rane stimulant

Company matters, for sure. Narayan Rane’s aggressive style of politics has charged up the Congress. Eyeing desertions from the Shiv Sena camp, the party has planned regional conventions. Two of them were held last week at Nanded and Karad. The next on the list is planned for Akola. Karad, home to the late Y B Chavan, had the convention organised by Minister of State (PMO) Prithviraj Chauhan along with young MP Sachin Pilot. Even Chavan’s protege, Sharad Pawar, is comfortable with the Congress’ incursion drive into Sena ranks.