CHIDU’S BLUES
PChidambaram is going through a bad time, it seems. The ink from his pen has dried up. His column that used to appear in a daily has been discontinued. His son, who once commanded lots of weight in the Financial market when senior Chidambaram was Finance Minister, is now seen juggling between his several lawyers. While there is no immediate threat on his son, BJP’s vendetta politics knows no bound. If this was not enough, his wife is also on the cusp of controversy. Nalini Chidambaram was defending one of the accused of Sharda Scam, and it is being said that she too will be harassed by the current dispensation. Under the circumstances, Chidambaram has gone into a sort of hibernation.
COGNITIVE DISSONANCE
It is only in politics that you can see a mother-son duo in a same party getting differential treatments. While Varun Gandhi has not particularly endeared himself to the Party High Command, who prefers to keep him out of the organisation; mother Menaka has been doing well for herself. Party elders were peeved with not only Varun’s fiery speech, they were also upset how his supporters tried to muscle in to make him UP’s Chief Ministerial face prior to the elections. Menaka on the other hand is not only being heard but accommodated too. Only recently her red-flagging of increasing number of Caesarean Births in India was immediately lapped up by the Health ministry who gave the order to ever CGHS empaneled hospitals to give them weekly data of such births. Word has it that even Finance Minister Jaitley has taken her concern regarding additional tax on female sanitary napkins seriously, and is planning to act accordingly.
THE “PATI” WORDPLAY
Manipur Governor Najma Heptullah is sure a female, but the word “Pati” has always followed her as a prefix or suffix. She, for a very long time, had the designation of “UpSabhapati” of Rajya Sabha. She always used to take it sportingly though. As luck would have it, she has now been declared Chancellor or Jamia Millia Islamic University. Chancellor in Hindi is “Kuladhipati.” This has given her hopes. Who knows with Presidential and VicePresidential elections scheduled this year; she might have the chance to become “Uprashtrapati” or even “Rashtrapati.” Had her relationship with Sonia been cordial, many things could have been possible including “Sabhapati” of International Parliamentary Forum. But that was not to be. Now that she is on the cusp of becoming “Uprashtrapati” or “Rashtrapati,” she is anything but complaining.
NITISH’S IRE
Something is cooking in Nitish Kumar’s kitchen for sure. While he skipped the joint dinner hosted for the opposition on the issue of finalising a common Presidential candidate, he sure made out time to attend a luncheon thrown by Prime Minister Modi. Rumour has it that he wants to leave Bihar politics now and try his luck as the President of India. And he has sent the feelers to everyone including big-shots in Nagpur. It is completely different matter that he called his meeting with the PM a private affair. When Lalu asked him to explain the event he dismissed Lalu summarily and told him in as many words that he will not be pressurised by him or his sons. Lalu has taken this insult in stride and is waiting for the right opportunity to strike back.
