No Defence

K V Thomas and Kumari Selja among others making an appearance. The charity exhibition,however,was a strict no go for the Defence Ministry. The reason being that the artist was Elizabeth Antony,the Defence Ministers wife. Known for his strict moral code,Antony ensured that personal did not mix with the professional and no invites were extended to ministry officials,most of whom did not even get to know of the exhibition.

Fast Flop

KERALAS Water Resources Minister P J Joseph arrived in Delhi all charged up to observe a day-long prayer-cum-fast to draw attention to the Mullaperiyar dam issue. But things did not go as planned. His idea was to sit at the Gandhi Smriti,but the monument was closed,it being a Monday. Though he and a couple of his associates had prior permission,they were allowed entry but not the media or his supporters in Delhi. A dejected Joseph sat there for four hours without media attention and the long queue of supporters. With his purpose not being served,he then moved to Rajghat. Being an open area,the chill in the air got to him and he developed fever,forcing him to move to the comfort of the Kerala House where he ended his fast in the evening.

Campaign Halt

PARLIAMENTARY Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal should have been the star campaigner of the Congress for the December 17 elections to the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation. The minister,a three-time MP from Chandigarh,has a lot at stake in the elections. However,because of the impasse in Parliament first over price rise and black money and now over FDI in retail Bansal has not been able to spend much time campaigning. His supporters,in fact,had urged him to devote more time since the ruling Congress is up against a resurgent BJP this time. His only hope now is that the impasse ends by next week so that he can canvass for votes extensively during the last week of campaigning.

Radio Gaga

WHILE many question the need for dedicated TV channels for the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha,somebody in the Lok Sabha secretariat has now come up with a new idea a dedicated Lok Sabha radio. With both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha TVs surviving on government doles,the proposal has raised many eyebrows. At a time when no legislative business or useful debates are taking place in Parliament due to repeated adjournments and walkouts,skeptics wonder what will be the fate of a radio channel exclusively dedicated to Lok Sabha.

Pedal Power

Parliamentarians may be demanding lal battis red beacons for their cars as the ultimate visual symbol of power,but at least one of them is saying they should be given cycles instead. Championing cycling as a mode of healthy transport,Rajya Sabha member Tarun Vijay says that MPs should be asked to cycle to Parliament instead of getting vehicles with lal battis. To promote the cause,Vijay on Monday cycled to the Vice-Presidents office along with a few dozen enthusiasts and presented him a memorandum.

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