PURE POLITICS: Patel at the dharma sabha

This is a politician with a conscience-and a death wish. To atone for his sins, Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee Vice-President Vithalbhai Patel, 67, held a dharma sabha in Sagar presided over by his guru, Rawatpura Sarkar, and performed his own last rites.

Why he should do so remains a mystery. A state minister in the 1980s and an ally of the late Madhavrao Scindia, the bidi tycoon received an award for being the cleanest politician last month. "I don't know why we have such awards. There is nothing like a clean politician,'' he says. In Sagar-where he has launched a Safai Abhiyan to clean the streets-they think otherwise.

Sonia's Sheepdog

Ajit Jogi has become the sheepdog for Congress President Sonia Gandhi. She calls upon the Chhattisgarh chief minister every time she wants to round up her flock in the states. He was in Ranchi during the rebellion against Babulal Marandi and tried to keep all the Congress and sympathetic MLAs in a hotel and safe from lures. He had done the same in Patna, with Laloo Prasad Yadav's help when Nitish Kumar was on the prowl. In Ranchi, Jogi was on his own.

Central Concern

The possibility of Trinamool Congress' Mamata Banerjee making it again to the Union Cabinet, this time as minister for rural development replacing the BJP's Shanta Kumar, is a spectre haunting the ruling CPI(M) in West Bengal. With the panchayat elections just two months away, the Marxists, who enjoy an overwhelming majority at the village level, would like their arch enemy to get anything but that ministry.

To add to their misery, a Central survey of utilisation of rural development funds puts West Bengal close to the bottom. It had used only 40 per cent of the funds in 2001-2 and this year it is yet to touch a rupee of the Rs 135 crore allotted for the Prime Minister's Gram Sadak Yojana.

Used to crying foul over the stepmotherly treatment of the Centre, the CPI(M) will now have a difficult stepsister in Delhi-with the state files in her hands.

CONFESSIONAL

Ashok Gehlot The Rajasthan chief minister sounds more confident after the Congress' victory in Himachal Pradesh.

Q. Is it finally certain that you will lead the Congress in the coming assembly elections in Rajasthan?
A. There was never any doubt. The speculation in this regard was totally wrong but sometimes it is better to keep quiet.

Q. The BJP intends to give you a tough fight and the Bajrang Dal, VHP and others will not allow you a cakewalk.
A. In Himachal Pradesh, heroes became zeroes. The Narendra Modi formula did not work there, it won't work here.

Q. Can you be good to the Hindus and not offend the Muslims?
A. I go to a temple not to show off but because I want to. Similarly, I take steps for the welfare of Muslims because it is the Congress' and my commitment to look after them.

Q. The soft budget this year shows you have got into election mode.
A. An election year does impact budgets but my budgets have never been extreme.

Q. Some regard your move to allow government employees to take a five-year break to start their own enterprises as too progressive.
A. This will help downsize the government without being harsh on employees and also encourage them to take risks and develop entrepreneurial skills.

Q. Four years ago, you were labelled as a weak administrator. How do you feel now?
A. Now they call me a good administrator. The official car facility for bureaucrats has been withdrawn, we have regular meetings with SPs and collectors. All this has helped.

Q. What will be your USP for the elections?
A. Performance. People take note of efficiency and vote for a party that delivers.

-Rohit Parihar