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Desperate Duo Delhi: It
would have been an innocuous little event, but for the presence of "retired"
Congressmen H.K.L. Bhagat and Jag Pravesh Chandra who were cutting the ribbons for a
greeting cards gallery in a south Delhi locality last week. Nothing wrong with that,
except that citizens are not permitted to run card shops from servant's quarters. Indeed,
the whole "function" was comic: part of the locality was barricaded by the
police and Bhagat's Black Cat commandos. Even as a motley group of drummers kept up the
beat, an audience of slum-dwellers was organised hastily for the VIPs who were made to
feel at home with some snacks and mineral water. Stranger still was the special appearance
put in by hair-stylist Sylvie, dressed in a blue skirt and designer hat. But the veteran
politicians decided to give Sylvie the slip. Not given to such swift exits, Sylvie found
himself surrounded by a group of urchins, some tugging frantically at his skirt. If only
he knew how to cut ribbons and vanish.
Legal Juggle
Chennai: Newspapers
resort to all kinds of innovations to grab readers' attention and boost circulation. But
this one takes the cake. "Special Court Today" -- on the lines of
"Engagements Today" -- is a new column started by a vernacular daily in Chennai
to keep track of the corruption cases against AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalitha and her
associates. Not a bad idea, given that the three special courts set up to exclusively deal
with the cases against the former Tamil Nadu chief minister have begun daily hearings
following the Supreme Court upholding the validity of these courts. There are 14 cases
against Jayalalitha alone and 33 cases against her associates, including her confidante
Sasikala, former ministers and senior bureaucrats of the AIADMK regime. With one case or
the other coming up before the courts every day, the column should have a good run in the
coming months. Unless, of course, the resourceful Amma manages to put some speed-breakers
on the legal highway.
Sweet Interaction
Chandigarh:
It was a completely transformed Sonia Gandhi who visited Chandigarh last week, her first
trip since her party's impressive showing in the assembly polls. In keeping with Madame's
taste, Chandigarh Congress chief Vinod Sharma had organised a three-course lunch with
Italian salad and cake at the Union Territory guest house. But to everyone's surprise, the
party president chose to join the Congress workers jostling for lunch on the lawns.
Helping herself to some dal and chapatti, Sonia was at her best in culinary pr, praising
the "delicious" Punjabi fare as one of her "favourites". Noticing some
Haryanvis milling around, she even enquired about the recipe for "Haryanvi
ladoos" from the Mahila Congress chief of that state. Suffice to say that Congress
workers were elated with Sonia's sweet talk.
The Bald Truth
Jaipur:
Even before he was formally elected leader of the Congress Legislature Party, a security
ring was thrown around Ashok Gehlot, the man responsible for the party's emphatic victory
in Rajasthan. And once he was sworn in as chief minister, bouquets, boxes of sweets and
sundry offerings poured in from friends and well-wishers. "Suddenly I have been
getting so many gifts," says a smiling Gehlot, "a pen, a handkerchief and even a
comb." Well, given the new chief minister's rapidly receding hairline, one wonders
whether the comb was intended as a souvenir of Gehlot's worry-free days of the past. |
