Ready, steady

The same hands that once opened the economy seems to have unlocked the Maharashtra booty for the Congress again. Even madam is now said to be in awe of the good doctor?s magic touch. The magic (polite negotiations by madam and her ?wise council? having failed to budge Sharad Pawar from his position) apparently got working at Ram Vilas Paswan?s iftar, when Manmohan Singh, ignoring the cold vibes emanating from the NCP gang, walked up to the Maratha strongman and greeted him. Smiles followed and the knots began to loosen. The ultimate result was startling. The next day, Pawar conceded to having a Congress CM and withdrew his insistence on having two deputy CMs. What did Manmohan breathe into Pawar?s ears? Some allege that the magic word was ?cricket?, and that seems to be bothering madam a little. How will the doctor keep his word? Well, hasn?t she heard of palliatives?

Writing on the wall

Removing one?s own footprints? That is precisely what M Venkaiah Naidu seems to have been doing. After he stepped down as the BJP president, the huge board outside the party HQ on Ashoka Road, showing Naidu along with the top brass, also disappeared in a jiffy. There were wild speculations about LK Advani being responsible for it. But now, it seems, Naidu himself had ordered its removal. But why? Probably because he already suspected that it was time to go back to the basics. Which meant the lotus had to be in full bloom again, and not the faces of party leaders. Notice how the lotus on the wall once again serves as the invariable prop as scores of saffronites give their interview each day?

Doctor knows best

Our benevolent doctor is also displaying a keen sense of humour of late. Recently, an English language daily carried a report on the possibility of Pranab Mukherjee becoming the deputy PM. Manmohan Singh called for his media advisor to seek his view. As the latter deliberated at length on why the report should be seen as a ?figment of imagination?, Singh cut him short with a one-liner. He said the report showed that all is well with the country and the scribes were just being forced to ?fly kites?.

The right number

Flying high. Which is why it was quite expected that the finance minister, P Chidambaram, should be given a swanky new Maruti Esteem VXi. But there were a few problems with the new car and a complaint was immediately lodged with the manufacturers. The noisy Esteem was replaced with another, pronto. But those who have a discerning eye noticed that while the previous car had the number 9498, the new one had the same, albeit with a variation ? 9948. Is it possible that a numerologist is ruling the life of the number-cruncher at North Block?

Green sapling

For every tree uprooted in Calcutta, there seems to be one being planted in north Bengal. Well, almost. The activist daughter of the West Bengal chief minister has thrown the forest department of the region into a tizzy. Suchetana Bhattacharjee is reported to be holding regular programmes in different districts of the state, particularly in Siliguri, to promote awareness about the environment. At least we now have a green trying to undo some of the red damage.

Power tempts

Delhi is a treacherous city to be in, especially for politicians. Look at the number of one-time ministers, who, having given in to the lure of power and forsaken their own constituencies, now find themselves as nobodies. One who recently sold himself to the charms of Delhi is Ravi Shankar Prasad, information and broadcasting minister in the Vajpayee government. Prasad, once a leading lawyer in Patna high court, could have spent his time more productively in Bihar. But no, he wants Advani to now accommodate him in the central set up. May he find peace!

Juice for the gander

While Venkaiah?s pictures were being lowered, fresh apple juice flowed freely at the house Shanta Kumar, former minister in the BJP cabinet who was allegedly shunted out by Naidu. Shanta was heard saying, ?There is god, there is justice?. We can?t be so sure.

Look who?s smiling

If you take a good look at this picture, you?ll know Subhas Chakraborty?s worst fears have come true. This is Amitava Nandi, Subhas?s b?te noire, who he himself had promoted to get the Dum Dum seat, albeit at the instance of Jyotibabu, who is supposed to have pleaded for them to come together to ensure the Dum Dum victory for the party. That accomplished, Nandi and Subhas seem to have gone back to their old sparring ways. Yet two men couldn?t have been more alike. They almost look the same ? bald, same kind of specs, in spotless white. Both live in Salt Lake, in similar two-storyed houses, hold similar people?s durbars, have activist wives, the same type of dogs... So long, Subhas?s only claim to distinction had been his white topi. Some say he had even thought of having Jyotibabu agree to his sole right over the headgear. That is till someone spotted Nandi in it. Will he have to opt for a turban now?