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Shatrughan Sinha is keen to play the role of a Rajya Sabha member for the second time. But the script may not be to his liking for he has the Bihar CM to contend with. Ever since Sinha refused to campaign for JD(U) candidates during the Bihar polls, things have soured between the two. But, after realizing that his hopes for a second term rest solely on Nitish Kumar’s blessings, Sinha sought to mend the fences. The editor of a popular weekly chipped in by playing peacemaker during the launch of its local edition in Patna recently, heaping praise on Kumar and Sinha, and declaring that the two would make a formidable team. Sinha followed suit, lauding Kumar for delivering Bihar from jungle-raj. All this while, Kumar sat unmoved. Then, when Sinha extended his hand to him, the CM refused to shake it. Poor Sinha! Our man is yet to learn that winning friends in politics is much harder than beating up baddies on screen.
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Who should BS Yeddyurappa thank on becoming CM of Karnataka? HD Deve Gowda’s astrologer, it seems. Having reneged on his earlier promise to hand over power to the BJP on a specified date, the former PM was forced to approach the party again after his personal astrologer warned him of a debacle in the forthcoming polls. Earlier, Gowda was in no mood to relent even when a number of his partymen asked him to keep his word and avoid a flash poll. But one word from the seer forced Deve Gowda to send his son scurrying to the BJP camp to revive the alliance. Meanwhile, to witness the historic occasion of the formation the first BJP government in the South, a plane-load of party leaders arrived in Bangalore. LK Advani, Rajnath Singh, Vinay Katiyar, Rajeev Pratap Rudy were all there, along with a number of scribes. But not everyone seemed hopeful regarding the coalition’s fate. In fact, one rather sceptical senior party leader was heard saying that he hoped that this development would not open Yama’s dakshin dwar for the party down South. Yeddyurappa must be hoping that the words were said in jest. Otherwise, it will soon be time for him again to make the rounds of a certain soothsayer.
Permanent friends have no place in politics. Ask Amar Singh and his buddy, Amitabh Bachchan. Now that Mulayam Singh Yadav is no longer in power, Singh and Bachchan have fallen short of friends. One hears that even bosom pal Subroto Roy has switched sides. Apparently, he now belongs to King Khan’s camp. Look at what happened the other day. Saharashri had organized a bash in honour of the Indian and Pakistan cricketers in Lucknow and, wonder of wonders, Shah Rukh Khan, not Big B, was the chief guest. Also in attendance were the Morani Brothers who had incurred Singh’s wrath after the duo had relegated Singh and Bachchan to the backbenches during an award function. The show went rather well for the Khan camp, and their pin-up boy was showered with accolades. And there are no prizes for guessing the two names that were missing from the guest list.
Legend has it that poet-cum-reformer Kabir had once wished to pray both at Kashi and at the Kaba. The sant’s wish has come true at long last. A direct flight took off from Varanasi this week for the first time, carrying haj pilgrims. Understandably, our politicians could not let such an opportunity to extol themselves pass by. Varanasi Congress MP, Rajesh Mishra, gloated that fulfilling Kabir’s wish was his modest contribution to the nation. Not to be outdone, BSP’s Naseemuddin Ansari quipped that the Lady at Lucknow should be credited for the feat. All this self-glorification on the part of politicians must be making the great man turn in his grave.
Here is some strange news from Punjab. Foreign visits by chief ministers are now being cleared by the courts. Former CM, Amarinder Singh, recently sought the court’s permission to travel abroad. Next, it was the turn of Sukhbir, son of Prakash Singh Badal, landed in Dubai, only after getting the court’s nod. Even the present CM, Badal senior, requires such clearances having cases slapped against him by the Amarinder regime. Of course, after coming to power, he has returned the compliment, which explains why Amarinder required court clearance.
Reportedly, Sukhbir has had enough. Last heard, he was saying that he wished that the two warring sides would withdraw their complaints. That would help make travel less of a hazard for him and his ilk.
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While visiting Kamla, wife of late Sivaji Ganesan, N Rangaswamy, the chief minister of Pondicherry, hurriedly took off his slippers as a mark of respect. Rangaswamy may not have known it then, but he had to regret this hasty act later.
Rangaswamy was scheduled to attend another appointment to keep. Therefore, he wanted to rush through the proceedings, lest he got late. Fate, however, had other plans for him. Having placed the wreath, Rangaswamy returned to find that his slippers had gone missing. Soon, a massive hunt was launched to retrieve the pair. Even the CM’s security was breached in the process but the slippers remained untraceable. Suresh, son of the legendary actor, embarrassed by the untoward incident, offered Rangaswamy his father’s slippers. However, Rangaswamy was not too willing to step into the shoes of a legend and thought of a way out. He politely declined Suresh’s generous offer and decided to return home barefoot.
