Tweet thought

Singh stayed away from the campaign,certain that like previous polls,the party candidate would bite the dust.

Tweet thought

Some may think Shashi Tharoor is still lacking as a politician but he can prove there are few who can match him when it comes to diplomacy,especially in coining the right response. At the screening of Ramvilas Paswans son Chirag Paswans film Miley Naa Miley Tum in the Parliament library complex Wednesday,Tharoor left within minutes of the film having started. But he more than made up by sending out this sugarcoated tweet shortly thereafter. Saw 1st few minutes of Chirag Paswans film at Parliament screening arranged by his Dad. Began impressively. Had2leave4 MPs Xmas celebrn tho, he texted.

Last Laugh

Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hoodas public reference to Additional Solicitor General Mohan Jain for all his help in ensuring victory for the Congress in the Ratia bypoll is raising many eyebrows. It now turns out that Jain had camped in Ratia during the campaigning and is even hosting a victory party on Sunday,where the CM and his Cabinet are slated to be present to celebrate Congress wresting the seat after three decades. Hoodas rivals in the party such as Union minister Kumari Selja and AICC general secretary Birender Singh stayed away from the campaign,certain that like previous polls,the party candidate would bite the dust. But Hooda has had the last laugh.

Ticket to Ride

IN the middle of the current financial gloom,Railway employees have chanced upon a way to make some extra money. Officials can now enroll themselves as facilitators to automatic ticket vending machines helping passengers book local-train tickets. In return,they can retain 5 per cent of the ticketing amount as an incentive over and above their regular salary and allowances. But theres a rider Railways have prohibited this facilitating job during working hours and even during lunch time. That,however,does not apply to retired officials below the age of 62 who also qualify for the perk.

Of Cabbages and Things

FOR whatever it was worth,the Trinamool Congress stood up to defend the government in the Lok Sabha Thursday,albeit to counter the Left. In the inflation debate when CPI MP Gurudas Dasgupta cited the high prices of bhindi Rs 75 a kg in Delhi and parval Rs 80 a kg in Kolkata to corner the government,Trinamools Kalyan Banerjee was quick to point out that these were unseasonal vegetables. In the winter season,I purchase only phool gobis cauliflower and cabbages but Gurudas Dasgupta purchases parvals. In the summer season,Dasguptaji will have the courage to purchase phool gobis and cabbages. I do not have that courage,and at that time I purchase only parvals, said Banerjee. Dasgupta invited another dig from Trinamool when he said whiskey prices had remained same while vegetable costs were soaring. And how do you know that, quipped Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi.