FM Rap

Friendly fire

That Union Minister C P Joshi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot share a blow-hot blow-cold relationship is well-known. Joshi was embroiled in a controversy recently over allegations that he had helped some of his supporters procure a textile mill at lower than market price. Joshi denied he played any role in the auction process but suspects that Gehlot was responsible for the mischievous media campaign against him. Despite that,the duo make it a point to give the impression in public that they are the best of friends. Yesterday,Joshi hurried through a press conference in Delhi that he held to brief the media about the initiatives of his ministry and even skipped the lunch so that he could rush to the airport and catch a plane to Udaipur and be present at a function to celebrate Gehlots birthday celebrations. Gehlot had decided to celebrate his birthday in a tribal area near Udaipur and had extended invitations to several party leaders,including Joshi.

Rebel rousing

There8217;s a lesson here for all political parties. The central leadership of the Congress has devised a novel way to deal with the revolt against Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma who has just completed a year in office. After a visit by AICC in-charge of the state Dhaniram Shandil and secretary Sanjay Bapna,the CMs detractors were told that their views will be given serious consideration if they gave in writing that they want Sangma to be replaced and also that they should not be considered for any ministerial berth in case of a change of leadership in the state. Last heard,no detractor was ready to formally rule himself out of the reckoning for the coveted posts.

Inherent gift

The display of warmth and hospitality by Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu at a dinner hosted by him for the participants in the 13th North-East Region Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference at Itanagar touched everybodys heart. He was seen walking up to most people,and not just Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar,to personally fetch them dishes and even persuade them to try some local preparations,and handing out gifts to all the participants. Therefore,the initial reaction of the people who were present at the conference was one of disbelief when news of the disappearence of his helicopter came in. Praying for his safe return,a delegate to the conference said: I will unpack the gift given by him only after I learn that he has been found safe and alive. Khandu,obviously,has an inherent gift to keep adding to his long list of friends and admirers.

Lessons learnt

The desertion of his Muslim vote base badly affected his partys fortunes at the hustings,so Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav is on overdrive to win back the communitys support. Bringing back Azam Khan and apologising for his alliance with Kalyan Singh it seems was just the beginning. Yadav,one hears,has given an Assembly ticket to a relative of Shahi Imam of Delhi. He is also making all the politically correct noises on minority issues including the Wakf land row. Further,he is searching for the right minority candidates in over four dozen seats identified by Khan. What more,he has cancelled tickets given to four SP leaders in Bareilly region within hours after their names were announced by state unit chief and his son Akhilesh Yadav. The reason: Yadav is said to be in talks with a prominent leader of the Barelvi sect which has substantial presence in that area and other parts of UP.

Army justice

Months after Lt Gen P K Rath became the senior most serving officer in the Army to be sentenced to loss of seniority in a court-martial,the other senior officer who was implicated in the Sukna land controversy will now face the music. Lt Gen retd Avadesh Prakash,who was the Military Secretary at Army headquarters when an Army inquiry established that he had influenced the controversial land deal will also face a court-martial. The Army has recently appointed Lt Gen Philip Campose,who is currently the Director General Perspective Planning at Army HQ,to head the court-martial.