CHATTERBOX

Something to cheer up Akhilesh Yadav on demonetisation anniversary

Last year on November 8, an exhausted Sarvesha, a seven months pregnant daily wage labourer, went into labour while standing in a queue to change ~500 notes and then delivered her child behind the Punjab National Bank building in Uttar Pradesh. Akhilesh Yadav, who was chief minister of the state then, arrived on the spot and arranged to have ~2 lakh paid to her. He also named the child — a son — Khajanchi (treasurer). This year, Yadav greeted the family, when they met him on Khajanchi’s first birthday. Yadav said that while he was not celebrating the anniversary of demonetisation, he did want to spoil the family’s celebrations on Khajanchi’s birthday. Much was made of the child and pictures of Yadav chucking him under the chin were all over the internet.

Tejashwi Yadav’s blast from the past

Tejashwi Yadav has taken a leaf out of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s book. Last week, he organised a tea party to connect with people via an open invitation on his Facebook page. It says “Let’s meet & talk over a cup of tea… Tea with Tejashwi — let’s interact.” Rashtriya Janata Dal spokesperson Chitaranjan Gagan said this was a way for Yadav to get his friends on Facebook and Twitter, together, get feedback and help him understand the issues at the ground level. The get-together followed the Janata Dal (United) releasing a photo of Yadav with an unidentified woman and a liquor bottle in the background. Responding to the allegation, Yadav said the photo was taken in 2010 when he used to play cricket. It was taken at one of the Indian Premier League’s post-match parties and he said he did not know the woman personally.