Insider talk

The CPI(M) MPs’ defence in Parliament that the violence in Nandigram was instigated by outsiders has not gone down well with many of its supporters.

The CPI(M) MPs’ defence in Parliament that the violence in Nandigram was instigated by outsiders has not gone down well with many of its supporters. The Left, they feel, has always been at the forefront in fighting for just causes regardless of borders. Back in the thirties, Indian Communists had even sent a team to Spain to help their brethren fighting the Spanish civil war. They also point out cattily that neither of the party’s two leading Rajya Sabha MPs from Bengal, Sitaram Yechury and Brinda Karat, is a resident of the state for that matter.

Enemy within

The Congress’s war of words with its ally, the NCP, is ostensibly about the latter’s tie-up with the Shiv Sena to win the mayor’s post in Pune. But there is more to it. The Congress has received reports that an NCP minister has been systematically wooing the smaller regional parties that are either anti-Congress or are on the verge of quitting the UPA. In Kerala, the NCP succeeded in getting Karunakaran’s MLAs, who fought under the banner of DIC (K), to merge. In Andhra, it tried but failed to bring the TRS to its side. Now, two other regional parties have been sounded out, even if the chances of a merger seem slim.

Playing hookey

Most of the leading lights of the cabinet had lined up trips abroad the moment Parliament ended. Consequently, apart from Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, no senior minister was to be seen at the presentation of the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding to Nobel Laureate Wangari Muta Maathai. The absence of the heavyweight ministers was noticed by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who considers the award function a very special event. She was displeased at the lack of attendance.

People’s president

AP.J. Kalam richly deserves the title of “the people’s president.” He has opened the doors of Rashtrapati Bhavan not just to the privileged few but to the aam aadmi. Visitors to Rashtrapati Bhavan have increased five-fold during his tenure, from barely 2.5 lakh a year to over 10 lakh. Formerly, the public was permitted entry only during the one month in winter when the Mughal garden is in full bloom, but now a herbal garden and a children’s gallery highlighting various inventions can be viewed throughout the year. Kalam tries, whenever possible, to make a personal appearance and interact with visitors.

The 75-year-old Kalam is constantly on the move and has made 150 trips out of Delhi during his term. Wherever Kalam goes, he makes it a point to meet as many people as possible, scheduling appointments even at airports and circuit houses. Apart from his personal interaction, Kalam spends one to two hours a day replying to his e-mails, since he receives on average 300 e-mails at his website daily.

Directionless move

Ajit Singh objects to being called a weathercock. He points out that all politicians choose alliances on the basis of convenience, and that it has nothing to do with liking or disliking individuals. In fact, there are others who have changed alliances more often than him and have not been singled out. Mulayam Singh Yadav, for instance, has at various times had ties with the BJP, the Congress, CPM, V.P. Singh, Chandra Shekhar, and Om Prakash Chautala. The problem with Ajit Singh now is that he cannot make up his mind as to which party to ally with for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, since his son Jayant, and close lieutenant Anuradha Chaudhary, continue to pull in opposite directions. It is not just the Congress with which Ajit has considered a tie-up; sources in the BSP and BJP claim they have been sent feelers too. If he is not careful, Ajit Singh may find that all his suitors have deserted him and he is standing alone at the altar.