Mamata mystery

Advani has ordered an inquiry into the episode but it is unlikely that the identity of the anonymous writer will ever be discovered. In the BJP8217;s mind, the needle of suspicion points at Mamata8217;s supporters who were hell bent on stopping the entry of Bandhopadhyaya into the Government. Ultimately, the reason the BJP gave up the attempt to split the Trinamool Congress was that Bandhopadhyaya was unable to wean away the requisite three MPs from Mamata. It looks like the BJP may have no option but to go along with the mercurial leader from West Bengal in the Lok Sabha elections.

Politics of funerals

There is politics in death as well. The lines were clearly drawn at the funeral of Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav8217;s wife in his native village in Etawah earlier this week. Arch rival BSP stayed away without a word of condolence. Surprisingly, so did the Congress, despite a slight thaw in the prickly relationship between the two parties recently. The only Congress leader who paid his respects was Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal. He was present more in his private capacity as Mulayam8217;s lawyer than as his party8217;s representative. No UP Congress leader was present.

On the other hand, the BJP representation was surprisingly strong. Law Minister Arun Jaitley flew from Delhi courtesy hotelier and Rajya Sabha MP Lalit Suri who also took Samajwadi leader Amar Singh in his private plane. It8217;s not clear whether Jaitley went as the Centre8217;s representative or as a personal friend. Apart from him, several BJP ministers in the Mayawati Government journeyed to Etawah for the last rites. The caste factor was the link. Most of those who went are from the Backward Castes.

Coming to America

The year old Indo-US Parliamentary Forum is off for its second round of meetings in Washington early next month. The hectic schedule includes a series of round table conferences with leading US think tanks like the Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute at which issues ranging from terrorism and the post-Iraq international situation to HIV AIDS will be discussed. The group is also hoping to meet Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld and a host of defence specialists. The India Caucus will host a reception for them at Capitol Hill where the MPs will have an opportunity to exchange views with Senators and Congress Representatives. The trip will round off with a meeting with former President Bill Clinton in New York.

On the lighter side, Hollywood actress Goldie Hawn will take them to watch America8217;s favourite sport, basketball, match between New Jersey and Texas. The trip is a significant step forward in the nascent effort of getting Indian parliamentarians to interact with their counterparts in other countries and promote better political understanding. The group is being led by IUPF convenor and Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Shukla and includes Kapil Sibal and Prithviraj Chauhan from the Congress, V P Singh Badnore from the BJP, Prem Gupta from the RJD, Praful Patel from the NCP and Suresh Prabhu from the Shiv Sena.

Cong8217;s capers

Old Congress war horse Arjun Singh8217;s outburst last week against 8216;8216;groupism8217;8217; in the party has brought to the fore tension between longtime Sonia loyalists from the Congress T and her new followers like Ambika Soni. Singh8217;s Congress T friends did all the fire fighting on his behalf. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit and Gandhi family friend Natwar Singh were at the forefront of the damage control exercise. They made a flurry of phone calls and visits to 10 Janpath and Singh8217;s residence through the day. Their explanation, that Singh was overcome by the emotion of the moment it happened to be Rajiv Gandhi8217;s death anniversary and did not mean any harm, was finally accepted by Sonia and she is believed to have spoken to him over the telephone. The immediate crisis may be over but the incident has deepened the existing chasm between the old and new loyalists.