Delhi Confidential: CP or VP?

Before taking charge as Environment Minister in Paryavaran Bhawan on Tuesday morning,Moily called on Natarjan at her residence.

CP or VP?

While the Congress has convened a meeting of its chief ministers on December 27 to discuss the issue of price rise and Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill,party leaders are curious about who will deliver the opening remarks Congress president Sonia Gandhi or vice-president Rahul Gandhi. According to party leaders,if Rahul delivers it,that will be yet another indication of the party presidents intent to gradually reduce her active involvement in party affairs and pass on the baton to her son in the run-up to next years general elections. An internal circular regarding the meeting keeps up the suspense stating that CP or VP will make the opening remarks.

MENDING TIES

M Veerappa Moily may have replaced Jayanthi Natarajan as Environment Minister in rather controversial circumstances,but he sought to ensure that his relationship with his former Cabinet colleague remained cordial. Before taking charge as Environment Minister in Paryavaran Bhawan on Tuesday morning,Moily called on Natarjan at her residence and got a briefing before moving into her erstwhile office. The two had had a verbal duel at a CCI meeting last week.

MISSION LARGESSE

The US embassy,which flew out the family of Sangeeta Richard,the maid whose complaint had led to the arrest of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade in New York,had booked return tickets as well. The tickets booked using the official travel agent gives the contact numbers of the three passengers Sangeetas husband Philip Richard and their two children as that of the travel desk of the US Embassy in Delhi. The Richard family was flown out on December 10 by an Air India flight and a return ticket was also booked for 3 March 3,2014,which remains open for use.

MONKEY BUSINESS

Environment Ministry officials at Paryavaran Bhawan are no strangers to monkey menace. Things turned rather tricky recently when a group of monkeys broke into an office,took about a dozen files and threw them out of the window. The files landed on the first floor from where they were retrieved,torn and damaged. Last heard,ministry officials were trying to assess what all file notings have been lost to monkey menace.

THE BETTER HALF

The Congress may be keeping former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda at arms length given the slew of graft charges,but the ruling party is not averse to welcoming his wife and Independent MLA Geeta in the party fold. The party had recently included her as a special invitee to the state coordination committee chaired by Jairam Ramesh. Geeta Koda is likely to join the Congress later this week.