Will Sukhbir let me speak!
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal has come a long way, from a politician who treated the media with contempt to playing to the gallery. Sukhbir was ready with answers to questions being put to Amarinder, prompting the latter to ask the mediator if Sukhbir would allow him to speak! Not that the friendly snub could stop Sukhbir. He tried to ambush Amarinder as a politician who has “revealed his seriousness” by announcing it as his last election and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal with “Punjabis fancy new things, such as new mobile phones, but are quick to discard them if they don’t like it.”
To ‘sir’, with love
Before barbs and friendly banter between Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh and deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit on Friday at New Delhi, the two had a rather cosy meet-up behind the stage. Sukhbir walked up to Amarinder, touched his knees and addressed him as “sir” minutes before the two went combative on stage. Captain tried to match Sukhbir’s quick wit with innocuous forgetfulness. When the mediator, Sonia Singh of NDTV, asked the two about vigilance cases slapped against each other, Amarinder appeared at loss of words and asked Sukhbir how long was he in the jail. To which, Sukhbir said this shows how serious he was while “framing” those cases. But Captain’s tongue-in cheek quip that he took care of Sukhbir in jail by sending him cans of his favourite Diet Coke had the junior Badal looking stumped.
The tug-of-war rope break
Independent MLAs Bains brothers held a press conference recently to make an announcement about an upcoming rally of AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal in Ludhiana. The duo, Simarjeet Singh Bains and Balwinder Singh Bains, had to face a volley of questions from the media as to why they had joined the AAP and what happened to their claims of forming a separate front with sportsmen-turned-politicians Navjot Singh Sidhu and Pargat Singh. Simarjeet then amused everyone present by comparing the current political scenario to a tug of war. “It was like we were playing a tug of war. Pargat and Sidhu were pulling us towards the Congress and we were dragging them towards joining the AAP when the rope broke,” he said.
Ghuggi’s timetable goes for a toss
AAP state convener Gurpreet Singh Waraich ‘Ghuggi’ was left high and dry when he went to Jalandhar to meet the party candidates from the district. Ghuggi, who was to meet them in party office at Urban Estate, gave a strict schedule, allotting 30 minutes to each candidate and his or her supporters. But no one turned up on time. Jagtar Sanghera, AAP nominee from Nakodar, came to meet the state unit chief all alone. Many other candidates were behind schedule by about two hours, compelling the comedian-turned-politician to think if they take him seriously.
Capt’s ‘not-so-social’ media manager
Dynasty is out of Congress ticket allotment, family is in. In the war room of Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh, it is his grandson Nirvan Singh who is privy to everything, from dealing with poll strategist Prashant Kishor’s team I-PAC to taking care of the finances. Though a quiet Nirvan is “not very social” for the role Amarinder likes to credit him with – handling his social media campaign. Nirvan does not take calls or answer messages of the media. Even as many of Amarinder’s tweets, videos and posts are creating a positive buzz on social media, they go unseen and unheard. For the hate mail coming to Amarinder, you have the AAP and SAD to tell the tale.
Will Wahid pay for cane pain?
Punjab Sugar Mills Association president Jarnail Singh Wahid, who is also Markfed chairman and owns a sugar mill in Phagwara, openly declares that he would not let sugarcane prices rise beyond a limit. While he has been facing flak from farmers for the nominal increase in cane prices, his advice to them is: “Don’t kill the goose that lays the golden egg”. Wahid, who is also the Akali candidate from Nawanshahr in the forthcoming assembly election, may have to face their wrath. The farmers, according to a union leader, in the constituency have decided not to vote for him.
Haryana’s payday pangs
To avoid the payday pangs, the Haryana government promised to give `10,000 in cash to its Class 3 and 4 employees, but failed to deliver, leaving them in the lurch. Though finance minister Capt Abhimanyu had given an assurance, the state authorities failed to act in time, resulting in the banks refusing to give cash to district treasuries. And the buzz among the angry employees was that the state government had again shown it focuses more on “prachaar” (publicity) than “vyavahar” (practicality).
Modi-critic Shanta now his comrade
Before Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister, Kangra MP Shanta Kumar was among his biggest critics, but not any longer. The other day, the former Union minister met Modi to present him copies of his book “Himalaya Pe Lal Chhaya” and a biography on his literary life. Shanta’s wife Santosh Shailja was also carrying a book, ‘If Autumn Comes’, penned by her. “I requested the PM to touch her book as well or else she may get angry,” the Kangra MP wrote in a Facebook post with a photo with Modi, calling their meeting a ‘sukhad ahsaas’ (pleasant feeling).
Bharmauri’s dance skills
Himachal Pradesh forest minister Thakur Singh Bharmauri doesn’t miss any opport-unity to exhibit his talent in front of chief minister Virbhadra Singh. At a local fair Anoki Dali in Jubbar-hatti, 30km from Shimla, the other day, Bharmauri found it difficult to control his passion for dancing and singing. He took to the stage, sang a devotional song dedicated to Lord Shiva and danced. Virbhadra, who was present, smiled and clapped for his minister. The minister’s performance won him accolades from the locals. The organisers also garlanded him while he was still dancing.
Bali’s midnight swoop
Transport minister GS Bali is known for his swift working style. In a midnight swoop recently, the 62-year-old minister clamped down on illegal luxury coaches plying between Delhi and Dharamshala. Over half-a-dozen private Volvo buses were impounded even as some others managed to flee taking the interior link roads after they got to know about the surprise check. A few others tried to trick the minister. While checking for goods being ferried in a bus without paying the state tax, Bali, to his utter surprise, found the vehicle owner hiding in the boot.
Raj Bhawan at centre stage of politics
Himachal Pradesh Raj Bhawan is at the centre stage of politics in the state these days. Chief minister Virbhadra Singh had met governor Dev Vrat, asking him to give nod to pending bills pertaining to regulation of sports bodies and amendments in town and country planning laws not very long ago. Then, Virbhadra and Himachal Congress chief Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, along with ministers and party office-bearers, went to Barnes Court, as it was known for a long time, to submit a memorandum against demonetisation. Transport minister GS Bali and party general secretary Harbhajan Singh Bhajji were vociferous in complaining about the cash crunch.
(Contributed by Sukhdeep Kaur, Aneesha Sareen Kumar, Ravinder Vasudeva, Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Rajesh Moudgil, Naresh K Thakur and Gaurav Bisht)
