The moot question is who will get what. The major tussle is for finance ministry. Pranab da left it vacant and has headed towards Raisina Hills. And now several biggies are eying the vacant chair. But the economist prime minister doesn’t seem to be in a mood to give it to anyone else. The names Dr Singh wants considered for the ministry are not being liked by 10, Janpath. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, for instance. So it is very likely that the ministry will stay with him. He will advocate big economic reforms and try to present the next Union Budget himself.

He is counted as one of the most honest officers in India. That is why he has broken the lid of not one but three scams in the country. But when the noise about the airport privatisation and coal scams dimmed, the reason behind the same began to be explored. When further investigations were carried out, the role of a big industrialist from Mumbai came to fore, whose name in the coal scam repeatedly occurred. The industrialist got lucky and an old FIR file reached the industrialist and its connection was traced to the honest officer’s banker son. Meanwhile Mr industrialist ran to Delhi and handed over a copy of the FIR to Congress’ all-powerful Ahmed Patel. Patel carried it straight to 10, Janpath. In simple words, honesty is on its way to being trampled by the big paws of power.

No matter what the outcome of the battle between Sonia and Mamata is, there is one person who is overjoyed by the turn of events and this person is none other than the chief of the Congress party in West Bengal, Pradeep Bhattacharya. Exactly four days before Sonia and Mamata’s meeting, Bhattacharya went to meet Sonia and was scolded by her that he should try to bridge the gap with Trinamool and not widen it. Bhattacharya expressed dismay and worry that in the recent city board elections, the Congress had won just one seat. His next big complaint was that as a coalition party, Mamata doesn’t respect the Congress. Sonia sent him back from 10, Janpath after another dressing down. With the changed equations today, Sonia’s advisors are trying to get in touch with Bhattacharya on how he can assist in a state-wide campaign against the Trinamool.

If the NDA and BJP agree to Pranab da’s name for President, the Congress is ready to give the vice-president’s post to a candidate nominated by the NDA. The names of Prakash Singh Badal, S Y Qureishi and Jaswant Singh may be in the race.

Pranab Mukherjee met Sonia Gandhi and made it clear that he will not contest the next Lok Sabha elections. In a way, Pranab has clearly put pressure on 10, Janpath, that he be made the President. Or that Manmohan Singh be made the President, and he be made the prime minister. For now, Sonia Gandhi is camping in Bageshwar in Uttarakhand, to stay away from the heat wave in Delhi and will return in a day or two. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi are also staying away from the Delhi heat and are in Europe. Sonia does want to see Manmohan Singh as the President but with the fruition of the plan that Rahul Gandhi take over as the prime minister. Which means that there is still speculation about the Presidential candidate from the UPA – the list is made up of the same old names – Pranab Mukherjee, Meira Kumar and Hamid Ansari.

Since Akhilesh’s government has taken over, Mayavati’s supporters and close associates and facing the brunt of it. Now it is the turn of builders who supported Maya, who managed to fill their coffers, thanks to Maya. Akhilesh Yadav has waged a war of sorts against alcohol dealer and builder Ponty Chaddha. Now is the turn of builders who were close to Maya’s brother Anand. Anand’s frontman used to be Anil Sharma of the Amrapali Group. Akhilesh’s government has prepared a dossier on him and the execution can start at any time.

Like it was speculated that the BJP’s National Working Committee in Mumbai was attention-grabbing, there will be lot of upheavals and the way Modi’s stature grew, other leaders of the party had egg on their faces. Not just that, the workers also lost credibility. Despite all hurdles, the party’s constitutional amendment brought new meaning to Gadkari’s presidential tenure. It is clear that the amendment will also benefit party’s state and district presidents. As sources reveal, the party will call for another national conference in the coming months of August-September where the amendment will be formally passed through a bill. Which means Gadkari will be chosen as the party president till 2015.

He once left the party on Sonia being of a foreign origin and today former Lok Sabha Speaker P S Sangma has been trying for the past three days to meet with Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi. His daughter and a Central state government minister Agatha Sangma is also helping him with the same but nothing has come of it so far.

Overjoyed with his current political status and clout, BJP President Nitin Gadkari will take off to Tel Aviv on May 14 morning with 50 farmers from his home Nagpur. He had been making preparations for this agrotech seminar/exhibition that will be held in Israel’s capital. The exhibition will be on until May 20 and Gadkari will be back home after that. This exhibition is about the latest offerings in the field of farm equipment and new-age technology in the sector. Israel has proven how agriculture can flourish despite little water. In Tel Aviv, Gadkari will also meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bank of Israel’s Governor Stanley Fisher. Israel is well versed with India’s southern-leaning politics and has invited other BJP leaders such as Sushma Swaraj and Advani to its country. Now it is Gadkari’s turn and it looks like even countries such as Israel have changed their opinion about the party president and now it is the turn of their party leaders.

A few days ago, BJP leader Sudhanshi Mittal, who was a big follower of BJP’s national leader late Pramod Mahajan, had big ads printed in all national dailies published form New Delhi in the memory of the leader. On Mahajan’s death anniversary, a hunt was on for where his son Rahul Mahajan was and what he was doing. It was discovered that he was shaking a leg at a night club in Mumbai.