No in-law control

Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel8217;s reception for his newly married daughter Avni in Delhi was a squeeze...

Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel8217;s reception for his newly married daughter Avni in Delhi was a squeeze, since the popular minister had invited friends from across the political spectrum, besides others. Conscious that the NCP is one of the UPA8217;s most troublesome allies, Congress political secretary Ahmed Patel joked that with the marriage of Patel8217;s daughter with veteran Karnataka Congressman R. V. Deshpande8217;s son Prashant, at least the Congress now had a remote control. But samdhi control is unlikely to work with Patel. Earlier this week, he was on a collision course with Kingfisher Airlines and Sahara on the congestion fee withdrawal. Kingfisher is owned by Vijay Mallya, a relative of his son-in-law.

Tirupati priests overpowered

The Saturday before last, Sonia Gandhi visited the popular Tirupati temple and was treated as a very honoured guest. The pundit smeared tilak on her forehead breaking with the tradition that the priests at the temple do not touch worshippers, male or female. The last time Gandhi visited the shrine, it was a different story. The devasthanam had opposed her entry. Boards were put up stating non-Hindus were permitted entry only if they first declared belief in the temple god. Sonia gave no such declaration. If the pundits have changed their views, it is because the last time she visited the temple, Atal Behari Vajpayee was prime minister and TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu was chief minister of the state. This time Gandhi8217;s party is in power at the centre and in the state.

Lalu stunned

Lalu Prasad Yadav likes to have the last word in any argument, but for once he was stunned into silence. Recently, his own party MP Rewati Raman Singh hurled unprintable abuses at him in Parliament8217;s Central Hall. Singh even questioned his competence. And the cause of Singh8217;s ire: the day before a railway squad had caught five of his companions for travelling without ticket.

Out, but still in

Vaiko may have walked out of Karunanidhi8217;s DPA alliance in Tamil Nadu, but Prime Minister Manmohan Singh still considers him a member of UPA. The MDMK may not be represented in the UPA coordination committee but it is included in the UPA8217;s parliamentary committee.

Singh feels a special affection for Vaiko since the time they were together in the Rajya Sabha. DMK boss Karunanidhi, meanwhile, has complained to Sonia Gandhi about Vaiko8217;s frequent visits to Race Course Road.

Judicial discretion

Should a judge who is closely related to a politician recuse himself from a case if it has political ramifications? In Chhattisgarh the son of a murder victim, allegedly killed at the behest of Amit Jogi, son of former chief minister Ajit Jogi, has gone to the Supreme Court challenging the appointment of a judge on the grounds that the judge8217;s brother is a legislator from Jogi8217;s party. Similarly one of the judges on the bench that convicted BJP MP Navjot Singh Siddhu of murder is a relative of a legislator who represents an assembly segment which falls in Siddhu8217;s parliamentary constituency and is from a rival party. The debate is likely to intensify in legal circles in coming months.