King of Bhutan didn’t invite any head of state or prime minister for his wedding. India has a special place for him, but despite that he didn’t think it necessary to invite Congress Rajmata Sonia Gandhi. He sent a personal invite to Rahul Gandhi and Dushyant Singh (Vasundhara’s son). Bhutan is a country that shares border with China, and naturally, the US is also interested in it. Because Bhutan’s royal family has had good relations with those of the UK, Norway and Denmark, the US has been constantly trying to get an entry into Bhutan, and if now directly, then through the UK or Norway. Obviously, it wants to operate through Bhutan to keep an eye on China. But due to strategic reasons, India does not want the Western powers to have a lot of leverage in Bhutan, because the most active US becomes in Bhutan, as a reaction, China will become more aggressive towards India. And America’s policy has always been to fight battles in other lands, and India does not want that the same should be repeated in Bhutan.

Considered to be Dawood’s right-hand man, Iqbal Mirchi was arrested in London and his interrogation has revealed some shocking facts. Sources reveal that during the interrogation, Mirchi has confessed that he and D-company have deep ties with a prominent political Indian leader. Mirchi has also specified that he has met the man several times at a hotel in London and the politician would take their help to bully his political rivals. It is worth mentioning here that the dossier British government has prepared on Mirchi already has a mention of the politician.

Anna also couldn’t hold back too long against the temptation of private plane and helicopter rides. Recently, he accepted the services of a private plane only because he had to get back to Ralegarh Siddhi for the Ashtami pooja.

After the famous fast at Ramlila Maidan, Anna Hazare was admitted to Gurgaon-based Medicity Hospital to recover, where Haryana Chief Minister Hooda tried to meet him thrice, but without success; Anna was not ready to meet the Congress leader. Through a worker in the hospital, Ajay Chautala had been successful in meeting Anna, although his supporters had booed and hooted at Om Prakash Chautala at Jantar Mantar and had been stopped from sitting with Anna during the fast. But for this by elections in Hissar, Anna’s blessings seem to be more with Kuldip. And in any case, Kuldip is a friend of Arvind Kejriwal and so think he has a slightly more right over Anna than Chautala.

This is the start of the Anna effect for the Congress, and Hissar by elections are becoming the eye witness for the same. Congress has tried all it can to ensure its man Jaiprakash wins the elections, so much so that Haryana Chief Minister Bhupendra Singh Hooda has made the Hissar by elections a matter of honour. But the Congress stands of shaky ground here. The Congress contestant now stands third. Kuldip Bishnoi is ahead in the fray after being in the seat left vacant by the death of his father. But he will have a face-off with Om Prakash Chautala’s son Ajay Chautala.

Defeats not only gives you wounds to nurse but also an insights into looking at the changing political scenario. This is the same Buddhadeb Bhattacharya who se daily routine didn’t change for even a day when he was the chief minister. He would head for his home from Writers’ Building in Kolkata at exactly half past one in the afternoon. He would enjoy a siesta after lunch at home and would head for office at 4 in the evening. Of if there was a rally or a party meeting where Buddhadeb had to be present, it was either before one or after 4 in the afternoon. But after the recent election defeat for the party, he is available to his party workers and leaders at any time – even between one and four.

The way the noose is tightening around DMK’s A Raja and Kanhimozhi in the 2G scam, and now that the CBI has decided cases against the duo, their imprisonment sentence may increase from seven years to life sentences. Karunanidhi is calling it a conspiracy of sorts by the Congress and has asked for an emergency party meeting, and the decision of supporting the UPA government will be mulled over. The Tamil Nadu local elections are round the corner and the DMK will have to take a big decision to salvage its sinking reputation.

UP’s Chief Minister Sushri Mayawati has kicked up a new storm about Anna’s cast. He is a Kurmi and wants to know what the man has done to uplife his caste? Political leaders from Bihar and UP have a penchant for seeing everything through the caste looking glass. And since UP elections are round the corner, and because Kurmi voters have bearing on a few seats, Mayavati has sensed the same and added, “Sahu Ji Maharaj was also a Kurmi but he sent Baba Saheb Ambedkar to study in a foreign university with his own money.”

Prof Ramgopal Yadav is Mulayam Singh’s brother and is counted among the educated people of the Yadav community. But his love for America gets the better of him at times. The professor was in the US recently as part of a Parliamentary Committee, which also had P J Kurian and Rehman Khan as part of the team. Professor sa’ab has spoken at the United Nations twice and is now preparing to go to Washington from New York and will naturally speak there as well. But he isn’t talking where he should – his party members are complaining that the elections are set to take place in UP, but it is the US where the professor seems to be campaigning.

It’s not just the PM who is fond of Swamy, but also the Sangh as well as Nitin Gadkari. He can frequently be seen at the Teen Murti residence, holding court for hours. The party president also takes really good care of him. And whenever he is meets people in the special room, Swamy is sitting on a plush sofa in a luxurious drawing room right next to it. By the by, the president mentions to the prominent leaders that Swamy ji is sitting in the next room and if they would like to meet him.