Desperate to refurbish its high-sounding "party-with-a-difference" tag that has long been in tatters, the BJP brass could not have found a more symbolic target than Shanta Kumar. A day after the party's Indore conclave, it cracked the whip against what it perceived as an act of indiscipline. The rural development minister was made to quit the Union Cabinet-a price for his blunt-speak on the party's recent poll debacle in Himachal Pradesh. The exit of the Himachal strongman is meant to be a warning signal to dissidents and underscores the party's efforts to put its house in order before the crucial upcoming polls in four states. Kumar had attributed the Himachal defeat to "non performance" of the BJP Government led by his arch rival Prem Kumar Dhumal.

COSTLY SACRIFICE: Shanta Kumar

While Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had ascribed the poor showing to the party's infighting in the hill state. The party leadership had slapped a showcause notice on Kumar but deferred any action, leading to speculation that he would be let off the hook. But Kumar's rivals, including party in charge of Himachal Pradesh O.P. Kohli and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, a mentor of Dhumal, put pressure on the high command to take action. The BJP brass may have put the dissidents on notice, but it can hardly afford to leave Kumar sulking. Given his stature as the most charismatic BJP leader in the hill state, the party may have shot itself in the foot. The time to pay the price for slighting its senior leader could be nearing with the Lok Sabha elections next year.

—- Ramesh Vinayak

Gender Bender

SENSITIVE ISSUE: Azmi and Gupta

I am very happy that prominent members of society have praised some acts of the Delhi Police, otherwise the trend is to focus only on the negatives," said Delhi Police Commissioner R.S. Gupta, while inaugurating the first of its kind gender sensitivity workshop for police personnel in the capital last week. Gupta agreed with parliamentarian, social activist and actor Shabana Azmi, who felt that this was the much-awaited first step in a series of sensitivity lessons that Indian society needs. She also spoke on the need for gender justice. The workshops aim to train 6,000 Delhi Police personnel, from the seniormost official to the traffic constable. Symbolically, the workshops will be held at Shudhinalaya, a rehabilitation home for women and children, most of whom have been victims of gender crimes. Though some officers grabbed their 40 winks as the speeches went on, the workshops promise to be an eye-opener.

-Shefalee Vasudev

P3 Parody

Page 3 regulars, beware. You could find a malnourished child contemplating your navel. A new print campaign conceived by ActionAid, an NGO, and designed by O&M attempts to make people aware of those who need more attention than the Page 3 types. The campaign will juxtapose photographs of the glitterati against faces of poverty and other issues that the NGO feels the media should take up instead of devoting excessive column space to celebrities. To find out whether this battle against glamour is successful or not, keep reading Page 3.

-Shefalee Vasudev

WON: India, the Davis Cup tie against New Zealand 4-1, to qualify for the World Group play-off.

SELECTED: Aishwarya Rai, first Indian actor as juror at the Cannes International Film Festival.

AWARDED: Everybody Says I'm Fine, made by Rahul Bose, the best comedy film at the 36th World Fest, Houston, US.

FLOATED: Mukta Mancha, by suspended Trinamool MP Ajit Panja, to contest the forthcoming panchayat elections in West Bengal.

APPOINTED: Gautam Thapar, MD, BILT, CII (north) chief.

ADJUDGED: Ramachandra Guha's A Corner of a Foreign Field, the Cricket Society's Book of the Year, sponsored by the Daily Telegraph, London.