KEEPING TABS ON POWER POLITICS IN PUNJAB, HARYANA, HIMACHAL PRADESH AND J&K
Capt’s parties create a buzz
Over nine months in power, chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh’s work has yet to create a buzz. But his parties are. A video of his friend from Pakistan, Aroosa Alam, raising a toast to Congress MLA Rana Gurmeet Sodhi at a private party, went viral last week. The CM, too, is seen sitting next to Aroosa. Leader of opposition Sukhpal Khaira was quick to lap up the opportunity to write to Congress president Rahul Gandhi about the “impropriety”. But the talk in Congress circles is about who leaked the video and why did CM’s security not take note of its
making. We hear now on, mobile phones will not be allowed at private dos attended by CM!
Jab Sidhumet Jaitley
This ‘guru-chela’ relationship continues, cutting across party lines. Punjab local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu
met his ‘political guru’ --- Union finance minister Arun Jaitley --- on
Thursday after almost a year. Sidhu, who left the BJP to join the Congress, described the ‘milan’ with flourish. “I bowed down to touch his feet and he hugged me warmly,” Sidhu said. He sought funds for different projects and got an appointment in no time. Jaitley not only assured him funds but also put in a word to union tourism and housing ministers, AJ Alphons and Hardeep Singh Puri, to help Sidhu.
Mann’s Sukhbir bashing goes on
It seems SAD president Sukhbir
Singh Badal continues to be the main rival for Punjab Aam Aadmi Party president Bhagwant Mann. After a poor show and reports of rigging by the ruling Congress in municipal polls, Mann was busy taking digs at Sukhbir, not the Congress. “He (Sukhbir) had sought paramilitary forces to guard mohalla (civic body) elections. Will he ask for tanks and rockets for smooth conduct of Parliament and assembly polls,” he said. On AAP’s rout though, the actor-comedian ran out of words.
Takhtja the darin Chad ha’ s Dubai bash
Former Khalsa Diwan Chief president Charanjit Singh Chadha is learnt
to have held a lavish wedding reception for his grandson at Dubai. And among those in attendance were
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, who is being accused of going soft on Chadha after his video with a woman principal has gone viral. Though the jathedar has summoned Chadha, no meeting of Sikh clergy before whom he is to appear has been scheduled yet. Chadha felicitated the jathedar at the reception ceremony. He also enjoyed proximity with former CM Parkash Singh Badal too.
K hair a’ s media games
Too many press conferences are not getting him print space. So leader of opposition Sukhpal Khaira has
started giving scoops to journalists. Khaira called up scribes last n week to tell them that he has discovered the money transfer link between irrigation scam accused Gurinder Singh and aides of his bete noire, minister Rana Gurjit Singh, who had bid for sand mines in the May auction. “I am thinking whether to hold a press conference or give it to a newspaper,” he said. But later added, “I will make the disclosure at a press conference on January 2.” But two days later, Khaira’s scoop was out in a newspaper and the AAP leader released a press statement seeking Rana’s dismissal. Forgoing credit must have been hard for Khaira who loves publicity.
Con g’ s have sand have no ts
Out of power, Congressmen in Haryana are passing time taking digs not at the ruling BJP but party’s warring factions. When a worker was anxious about a party functionary’s car parked outside the Congress office in Chandigarh since past many weeks with deflated tyres, a leader owing allegiance to Haryana Congress chief Ashok Tanwar camp quipped, “This shows how bad is the party’s financial health in Haryana as no MLA gives any funds to the party.” The gathering burst out in laughter as most of the 17 MLAs belong to former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s camp and they have not made any contribution to the party of late.
Ha ryan ab a bus eying central posts
Come 2018 and a number of Haryana IAS officers will be looking for avenues in the central government. While principal secretary-rank officer Sumita Misra was recently granted deputation in the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, additional chief secretary rank officer, P Raghvendra Rao, presently holding the charge of finance department is likely to be next in the line for central posting. There are speculations that a number of officers holding the charge of head of departments or joint secretaries too are rooting for central deputations.
Khattar keeps officers on toes
Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s tours to the district headquar- ters are giving sleepless nights to the officers. Recently, Khattar spent two days in Karnal and Kurukshetra districts presiding over several meetings and programmes. While party workers, who were facing criticism from the locals for CM’s absence, were upbeat, the officers are not. A senior bureaucrat said every junior and senior officer has to remain ready with all records, all the time when the CM comes calling. Are they complaining? “We usually slam the politicians for not working, can’t slam them for working too,” he said.
Rahul leaves Asha redfaced
Erstwhile Chamba royal Asha Kumari has been ‘hitting’ headlines and how. After barely scraping through her bastion Dalhousie in the Himachal elections, she left her party blushing by slapping a woman constable and getting one back from her. The controversy did not go down well with Congress president Rahul Gandhi who was in Shimla to review party’s poll debacle. Rahul gave Asha, who claims to be a dyed-in-wool Congresswoman, a lesson in party’s culture of non-violence. But Asha is fuming still.
The new selfie sensation
Himachal chief minister Jai Ram Thakur is the hill state’s new selfie sensation. Every second person greeting him wants a selfie and Thakur obliges. “I cannot stop people from taking selfies with me. They have come from far distances to meet me,“he told a small gathering of employees when cops escorting him struggled to make way for him till his vehicle.
HP ministers scramble for rooms
Soon after taking oath with chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, his cabinet colleagues rushed to the secretariat to grab the best rooms. Some ministers were even seen jostling for the same room. Food minister Kishan Kapoor and industries minister Bikram Singh both entered the room occupied by former industry minister Mukesh Agniotri. The general administration department had to intervene to resolve the matter. Some ministers were wiser. They had locked rooms in the secretariat even before taking the oath.