False alarm

Going through the security drill at Delhis IGI airport has become a little amusing for flyers these days

Going through the security drill at Delhis IGI airport has become a little amusing for flyers these days,thanks to an inexplicable move by the Delhi International Airport Ltd DIAL to replace plastic identity tokens with metallic ones in the trays carrying the passengers belongings through X-ray scanners. These metallic tokens make the alarm go off constantly,leaving passengers amused and the Central Industrial Security Forces CISF personnel confused and sheepish. The CISF has reportedly complained about the new tokens to DIAL,and asked it to bring back the old ones.

Swinging polls

The recent opinion polls commissioned by some TV channels yielded mixed results for the BJP. While BJP patriarch L K Advani talked of a record-breaking performance in the next Lok Sabha elections after the first survey indicated that the party would gain massively in the crucial state of Uttar Pradesh,sentiments in the party were dampened by the second survey which said the BJP would lag far behind the SP and BSP. Top party leaders,however,appeared unfazed by both the projections,because a survey conducted at the behest of the party in March this year had projected 25 seats for the BJP as against its tally of nine in 2009. The party leadership believes it is growing stronger in UP with each passing day.

No son-rise

Former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi,who was recently appointed a member of the coordination committee in the reconstituted Chhattisgarh PCC,is now lobbying hard to be made head of the campaign committee. On Wednesday,he met Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to express his reservations about some newly-appointed office-bearers. The buzz in the party is that Jogi is upset about the party leadership not accommodating his son,Amit. Jogi wanted Amit to be appointed PCC general secretary. While the party high command accepted many of his suggestions and also made his wife,Renu,vice-president,it has refused to accommodate Amit.

High note

Being in-charge of the state broadcaster comes with its own set of privileges. The theme song of the Bharat Nirman campaign,Milon humein jana hai,sung by Shaan and Sunidhi Chauhan,is now playing along with Bollywood songs on various AIR channels,including Vividh Bharati. Officials in the information and broadcasting ministry claim the decision to change it from a mere advertisement jingle to a full-fledged song was taken because of its immense popularity. So much so that AIR now claims it is getting requests for the song. The songs association with a campaign that showcases UPAs achievements is naturally a bonus.

Food for thought

The HRD ministry is gearing up to respond to a sudden interest shown by parliamentarians in the midday meal scheme in the wake of the Bihar tragedy. More than a dozen calling attention notices on the issue are expected in this parliament session. There are already about 20 questions related to the programme. Officials say it could be the maximum number of questions ever asked on the scheme in a single session of parliament.