Venkaiah, Om — who is the top dog? Meeting of like minds?

War of the TV channels

I t’s a matter of seniority that has to be settled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A panel has recommended the merger of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha TV channels but the big issue remains unresolved about administratively heading it. Rajya Sabha chairman and vice-president Venkaiah Naidu is senior to Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla but traditionally the Lok Sabha speaker is considered more weighty than his Rajya Sabha counterpart. So whether Rajya Sabha TV or Lok Sabha TV will become the administrative head, will be decided by the Prime Minister.

Stay put

T he Congress is sitting idle in pollbound Delhi. A number of senior party leaders like Jitin Prasada, R.P.N. Singh and Salman Khurshid are residents of Delhi but the party has not asked them to step out and campaign for Congress nominees. Each morning, these leaders go on their own to parks and public places trying to gauge public opinion and get a sense of involvement in the poll campaign. Rahul Gandhi seems happy holding rallies and public meetings in Jaipur, Wayanad and other places away from the national capital. The Congress’ interim chief, Sonia Gandhi, has a meeting planned at Shastri Park just before the poll campaign ends.

N ow Congress leader from Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and his Lok Sabha counterpart Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury will be neighbours. Chowdhury is moving into the house opposite Azad’s in South Avenue. This house was earlier occupied by Ashok Chavan. For any strategy meeting, the neighbours just have to walk across the road. But Congress insiders say it’s not going to be that easy.

Curbs on hacks

D uring the Budget Session of Parliament, Lok Sabha secretariat has reportedly slowed down giving press gallery passes to reporters. Informally speaking, so far the reporters only needed a letter from their organisation and PIB accreditation. Lower rung parliamentary officials approved their passes. But now, each application is reportedly vetted with many checks to see if the organisation indeed has the requisite qouta. All eyes are on Lok Sabha secretary general Snehlata Shrivastava.

Wikipedia economists

A nother first. The Economic Survey of India tabled by the

Union finance ministry had a data reference to Wikipedia, on page 150-151. At point 1.26, the Survey has stated that GDP is the ultimate measure of the wealth of the country. Senior bureaucrats wonder how the chief economic adviser, having an entire battery of minions to do paperwork and research, found it necessary to look up Wikipedia but did not look at the relevant reference in the same Wiki article as a follow-up. On the other hand, if the relevant information was unreferenced, then the CEA must be ashamed of using such a statement. Wikipedia as a first reference is fine but it takes a serious researcher further, the bureaucrats agreed.

The writer is a keen observer of the goings-on in backrooms of power