tHEBuzz

KEEPING TABS ON THE POLITICAL GRAPEVINE

THE CALCUTTA CHROMOSOME

Last July, Babul Supriyo was moved out of the Union urban development ministry during the reshuffle. However, Supriyo who is now the MoS, heavy industries and public enterprises, does not want to let go of some Kolkata-specific projects in his earlier ministry. He has written to the PMO requesting that he be associated with the Kolkata metro’s ongoing project connecting Salt Lake to Howrah. Last heard, it is contemplating Supriyo’s request. You can take a politician out of Kolkata but you can’t take Kolkata out of the politician.

A ROUND OF MUSICAL CHAIRS

Former Lok Sabha MP and founder-member of the PDP Tariq Hameed Karra, who joined the Congress last week, is hoping to contest from the Srinagar parliamentary constituency. But much depends on if the Congress decides to contest the two Lok Sabha seats in alliance with the National Conference (NC). In that case, the Srinagar seat is likely to go to the NC. The chances of nominating Karra from the Anantnag seat appear dim given that he has no political base in south Kashmir.

FLYING HIGH FOR NOW

Goa CM Laxmikant Y Parsekar was spotted at the Aero India-2017 in Bengaluru last week, taking an active interest in the air show. From the opening ceremony to the induction of India’s first indigenously-developed airborne early warning and control system to visiting pavilions, Parsekar was by defence minister Manohar Parrikar’s side. Parsekar is quite confident that Goa will one day host the air show. The venue of DefExpo has already been shifted from New Delhi to Goa. However, not many in the industry are excited about the air show’s venue being shifted out of Bengaluru.