Delhi: Farewell speeches are usually made of sugar and all things nice, which is how outgoing naval chief Sushil Kumar did his. But outgoing Air Chief Marshal A.Y. Tipnis' was different: in their last meeting with the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) he took a dig at Kumar by saying that this was the first time the juniormost chief had been appointed as chairman of COSC.

Only the Good Shall Party

Lucknow: Ministers in Uttar Pradesh who usually celebrate the new year at hotspots in Mumbai, Singapore, Kathmandu or more happening places have been reduced to making rounds of the BJP party office here this time. Their trips to all these destinations, traditionally sponsored by the party, are in limbo because the BJP leadership has not cleared the travel plans yet. Apparently the carrot-and-stick policy is being applied to them as well: those ministers who have been in the news for the wrong reasons will find themselves grounded, or, tragically for ministers, reduced to paying for their revelries. Obviously spirits are low.

Last Word

Bhopal: Union Sports Minister Uma Bharti and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh recently addressed rallies on the same day and at almost the same time on Narmada waters. In his address Singh held the Vajpayee Government responsible for not releasing funds for a Narmada pipeline project for Bhopal. Since his address was a tad before Bharti's she had the opportunity of replying to his allegations. However, it was the closing argument that was the clincher: Singh should go and touch Vajpayee's feet and everything would be sorted out, advised Bharti.

Takes Bait and Bolts

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Rajnath Singh hoped to succeed where everyone else had failed-in wooing cinestar Shatrughan Sinha, who is a BJP Rajya Sabha member. But even his offer of chairmanship of the Uttar Pradesh Film Development Board, a cabinet rank position, has failed to win him Sinha's campaigning in the coming assembly polls in the state. The actor accepted the offered position, but is now taking off on a tour of the US with his play Pati, Patni aur Main.