At the lunch hosted by Sonia Gandhi, Congress strategists made sure that Mulayam and Mayawati don’t come face-to-face. Maybe that is the reason both leaders were made to have different entries at the Ashok Hotel in New Delhi. Mayawati was asked to sit at Sonia’s table, and Mulayam with the prime minister. Satish Mishra also sat with the PM. On the other hand, Prof Ram Gopal was supposed to sit with Rahul Gandhi but he hadn’t returned from Etawah. So his lunch wasn’t really complete.

Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule may get a plum post in the Central government soon. This became clear at the lunch at a five-star hotel, which was hosted by Sonia Gandhi, prior to the vice-presidential elections. During lunch, Supriya Sule sat at Sonia’s table, while NCP’s veteran leader and national secretary D P Tripathi sat with the aam janta. Even Tariq Anwar fared better than Tripathi, for he sat at the prime minister’ table.

Ever since Karunanidhi’s son Alaigiri has been in the headlines in relation with illegal mining in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, his body language reading his role in the Central government has changed. It is nothing short of a miracle that Alaigiri, who always chose to stay away from Delhi, has been in the capital for the past three days. It is also interesting to note that usually absent from all Cabinet meetings, Alaigiri’s presence was seen in these meetings, too. He also paid heed to the prime minister’s lessons where Dr Manmohan Singh had given a long lecture on “FDI delay in pharma sector”.

Marxist Communist Party Polit Bureau’s prominent member Sitaram Yechury is scared of Bangla and Malyali news channels nowadays. He scorns at these TV cameras and stays away from them. A Bengali news channel played up the four secret meetings that Yechury had with Madam Sonia at 10, Janpath in April-May. The news was played up to such an extent that not only the party members but even Opposition party leader Mamata Banerjee saw red and Yechury swore that he will never meet Madam so openly again. But something’s cooking and Yechury has to somehow get his messaged relayed across to 10, Janpath. So he has found another way out. If sources are to be believed, he now manages to do it during JPC meetings at the chairman’s chambers or in the Parliament’s Annexe through the Congress’ most clever strategist Ahmed Patel. But it doesn’t seem Didi doesn’t know of the goings-on. That’s because her sources keep a constant tab on Yechury.

The monopoly to make headlines may have been taken away from Amar Singh and he may be a forgotten chapter in the history of Indian politics, but his fabulous party in London a few days ago went a long way in proving that he still commands attention. Amar had held a big party in London, which was hosted by Jaya Prada, and the party was not only attended by several ministers from David Cameroon’s cabinet, but Tony Blair himself may an attendance. The surprising thing was that Blair was there for the entire time the party was on.

“Suna hai log usko aankh bhar ke dekhte hain so unke sheher mehin kuchh din theher ke dekhtey hain/ suna hai rabt hai usko kharab haalon se/ so apney aapko barbaad kar ke dekhtey hain.” (It is heard that people can’t tire looking at her/ so I’ve decided to stay for a few days in her city/ It is heard that she is moved by those in a bad plight/ so I’ve decided to ruin myself) These lines by Pakistani poet Ahmed Faraz seem to suit Sharad Pawar perfectly right now. He is upset, with 10 Janpath, with the prime minister. So Congress strategists are looking for a middle path. For this, a new list of demands have been asked of Sharad Pawar, mentioning at least those that aren’t bigger than his over-reaching ambitions. Sources reveal that the four ministries Pawar has given as a choice will not be in tune with what the Congress can give him. These ministries are finance, defence, foreign and home ministry. Pawar wants to see some of his people are governors, and wants an important ministry for his daughter Surpiya Suley and wants Tariq Anwar to be appointed the vice-speaker in the Rajya Sabha. The other wishes may be granted, but being number two for this Maratha stalwart may be just that – a dream.

Nobody can equal the Congress when it comes to political management – it sure knows how to change a defeat into victory. Until now, who would have thought that Jagan Mohan Reddy, who has been constantly peeved by Congress atrocities will be supporting UPA’s Presidential candidate? But Congress’ clever political strategist Ahmed Patel has made it possible. That’s because he wields the flag of the ruling coalition and knows the secret to new strategies. He is an expert at the games that are played behind the stage. That means the CBI may have some connection with the Congress.

Major preparations are on for a significant change in the Central Cabinet. After Presidential elections, that is on July 19, the changes may come about any time. It is very possible that the monsoon session of the Parliament may start in the first week of August and the Cabinet may see a reshuffle before the session starts. Sources reveal that a big makeover in the Cabinet is on the cards and portfolios of as many as six-seven ministers may be changed. Some may be shown the door and new faces may get a chance. Some old hands, such as Rajiv Shukla, may get promoted.

One reason for the souring of relations between Mamata and Mulayam was that for the past six months, Mulayam had been promising Mamata that he would support Mamata’s name of Kalam for President’s post. And for this, both leaders had also taken Kalam’s consent on the same. That may be the reason Kalam hurriedly completed his autobiography. And it is believed that the Sonia episode has been treated with caution and in a light-hearted manner. Sources reveal that the biography was first seen by M J Akbar. Through M J, it reached Suman Dubey and before it could reach the publishers, its original draft reached 10, Janpath through Dubey. Sonia didn’t seen anything to oppose in the book. That was a reason Mulayam and Mamata felt that Kalam’s name would get consent from Sonia but that didn’t happen. When Mamata went to meet her, Sonia named only two names – Hamid Ansari and that of Pranab Mukherjee. Mamata then asked Sonia if she could make both names public and at that time. Sonia didn’t see a problem in that either.

After proving his prowess in the Presidential elections, getting Mulayam Singh tow the Congress line of thinking after repeated attempts, what was the Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajiv Shukla doing in London last week? Sources reveal that Shukla ji met former IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi at Shahrukh’s home at Mayfair in London. The meeting of the former and current IPL chiefs hid several significant political messages and motives. The meeting becomes more significant considering the fact neither of them accepted the other and never saw eye to eye. At a time when investigations are on against Modi regarding the way IPL functioned under him, his meeting with Shukla ji takes an extremely interesting turn. Lalit Modi is not keeping well nowadays. A bone in his mouth has recently been operated upon and replaced and he will speak only as much as he is “advised”.