Taking after his elder brother, younger brother Varun of the saffron stream is also busy doing something new. This young Gandhi may have got an inconsequential post in Gadkari’s new team, but his political ambitions and courage is much more gigantic. On Monday, March 29, Varun is organising a big rally at Gandhi Ground in the Saharanpur in western U.P.. No senior leader of BJP would be present in this meeting. So it is obvious that the young Gandhi wants his party to realise his political power. If those close to Varun and the convener
of this rally are to be believed then about 40,000 to 50,000 people are expected to attend it. It is a big thing in a State where BJP is almost non-existent and where there is no enthusiasm left in its cadre either. Varun is organising 16 rallies all over U.P. His next rally is
in Jaunpur in east U.P. on April 28. Or bit by bit Varun is heading towards the parliamentary constituency of his elder brother. After finishing with the Saharanpur rally, Varun is headed for America. A New Jersey-based people of Indian origin organisation has invited him
as the lead speaker for speaking on “Idea of new India’’. So the younger Gandhi is learning a lot from the elder brother’s style and expression.

Congress prince Rahul Gandhi, who always kept a distance from sycophants and the Congress tradition of sycophancy, finally ended up getting somewhat entangled in the practice of self aggrandizement and self praise, or where was the need for him to give so much importance to thinker, political scientist and risk engineer and the author of “The Black Swan’’ Nasim Nicholas Talib. When Rahul suddenly reached a conclave in New Delhi, then contrary to expectations he sat next to Talib. In between the program, he took Talib along with him to a famous restaurant at the nearby Ambassador Hotel where Talib ate to
his belly’s content while Rahul took a dose of knowledge from this Americal orthodox political scientist. Not only this, after lunch Rahul took Talib back to the conclave and for the next three hours remained fixed to Talib like Fevicol’s strong bond. So what was the
magic that Talib had done? In the same conclave, while speaking Talib had described Rahul as a better leader than Barack Obama. About Rahul, Talib said – `He knows the problems full well and he also knows where their roots lie. Whereas Barack Obama is surrounded by such people who do not know a bit as to where the problems lie.’ If someone says such
a thing, then why would Rahul not slip – the heart is after all a child.

For Indian politics, Ram Jethmalani is still very relevant. That is why Anil Ambani has openly come out in support of renowned advocate Jethmalani, who had to return disappointed from the entrance of both BJP and BSP. And the younger Ambani has tried to send out the message in the political circles that despite the Amar episode, he has not abandoned Mulayam. So, to bring Jethmalani to the Upper House, Mulayam has arranged for his 20 seats and using his Mr Mischief connection in BJP, the younger Ambani has also prevailed upon 10 BJP MLAs to vote for Jethmalani.

Ever since Sushma Swaraj has taken over as Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, BJP has developed a pro-active image in the House. Senior leaders of BJP now want a greater role to play in the House. When in a meeting of the Lok Sabha MPs of BJP the question was raised that who would speak on the environment legislation, the MP from Aonla in U.P. Maneka Gandhi raised her hand because she has in the past too raised the issue of environment both within and outside Parliament. Therefore she wanted to speak on it. At this Sushma said she wants that Karnataka MP Anant Hegde speaks on this because he is senior and is a four-time MP. Maneka raised the question that she is a seven-time MP and so who is senior? When on Tuesday the BJP MPs met at Advani’s residence, Maneka promptly suggested there that MPs should be allowed to speak in Parliament purely on the basis of their background and capability and so if someone is a doctor then he should speak on medical issues. It is interesting that senior leaders like Murli Manohar Joshi and Yashwant Sinha also affixed their stamp of approval
to Maneka’s formula. Advani also appeared in favour of this view but somehow it did not appeal to Sushma and she walked out of the meeting. This is the clash of the pre-women’s reservation era.

The nicknames of several BJP leaders are quite famous. For example the party’s newly-elected president is referred to as Sangh’s closed circuit television or CCTV; the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj as the “big bindi wali’’ (one with the big `bindi’); former BJP president Rajnath Singh as the “ghutna rifle’’ (knee rifle); Venkaiah Naidu as the “big brother’’; Arun Jaitley as “Mr. Mischief’’; Ravishankar Prasad as “Nawab of Maler Kotla’’; Gurumurthy as the `Shankaracharya of Mailapur’; Balbir Punj as `incompetent journalist’; Vinod Pande of BJP Kisan Cell is called “BJP’s Swaminathan’’; Swayamsewak Sangh is “military rule’’; Sudhanshu Mittal as “tentwala’’; Nishikant Dubey as “corporate facilitator’’, Varun Gandhi as “Bigdail (spoilt) Nawab’’, Narendra Modi as “akdu’’ (adamant); the list is quite long, therefore kindly wait for more names.

How long can the lucky charm last? So Shashi Tharoor is now about to face the music. This time when 10 Janpath is so angry with him, then how can the Prime Minister defend him? So it is understood that in the proposed reshuffle in the Union Council of Ministers, Tharoor’s ministry could be changed and he could be given some lighter ministry or he could even be ousted from the Council. There are several incumbent ministers who are not happy with their portfolio. Take for example Food Distribution Minister Subodh Kant Sahay, who has met Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi several times and demanded that his ministry be changed. So it seems, Congress can this time also take its such ministers to task.

Pranab may not agree with the proposed Women’s Reservation Bill but there is a special place for women reserved in his mind, ministry and administration. Take Amita Pal for instance, at present she is working as an advisor in the Finance Ministry and she is considered the guiding force behind Pranab. So this lady’s presence in the secretary level meetings of the Finance Ministry can well be understood. Pranab
usually keeps quiet in such meetings and Amita Pal remains equally vocal. In the Lok Sabha elections this time, when everyone was feeling that the return of the Congress to the Centre would be somewhat difficult, a new post of Information Commissioner was decorated for Amita Pal during the first term of the UPA itself. Look at the coincidence, though the file reached Prime Minister for his approval,
it has not been signed till date. Therefore, this time when the Congress returned to power during UPA regime’s second stint, Amita Pal immediately left her constitutional post of Information Commissioner and got attached with Pranab as his OSD. And in today’s time, Amita Pal calls the shots in the Finance Ministry. All the important files and people go through her before they reach Pranab. So it is
commonplace to find people doing the rounds of madam’s office for transfers and postings. Several known industrialists (even Anil Ambani) can be seen in the waiting room outside waiting for their turn to meet madam. There are also some Congress persons who want that madam should be made a secretary in a new department in the Finance Ministry. But madam and Pranab have no time to pay heed to such
advice.

The sharp and extempore speech of Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj left the Congress searching for cover. Taking the matter lightly, Congress fielded old Shiv Sainik Sanjay Nirupan to reply to Sushma. In Rajya Sabha, Keshav Rao and Rajiv Shukla held the fort. Now
the Congress leaders have realised their folly and to pacify an angry Sonia, the A-line Congress leaders are saying that Chidambaram should have been fielded in Lok Sabha and Pranab Mukherjee in Rajya Sabha. But what use crying over spilt milk?

Has Anil Ambani changed or has his style of thinking changed. On Sunday, the young Ambani is hosting a grand party at Mumbai’s Grand Hyatt Hotel. The ostensible reason is celebration of the hit movies that have been delivered under his banner. But those in the know believe it was a big public relations exercise of Anil Ambani in which he invited many of his formal arch rivals. So those bureaucrats, industrialists and politicians who were openly counted among the Mukesh camp members were specially invited at Anil Ambani’s insistence. Two or three personal calls were also made. Have a look at these special invitees of the young Ambani – Murli Deora, Praful Patel, Rajiv Shukla, Shah Rukh Khan, etc. For the last nearly three months, Sonia Gandhi has not been giving the gentleman an appointment, so he decided to feel the pulse of the changing times.

Holi is all around. The public in this country is simple. It is for without any reason that it cries, `price hike, price hike’. Even when it known full well that whenever Congress comes, it brings with it higher prices. The sister with the big bindi kept shouting in the Parliament that there is a big scam in sugar; such a big scandal in front of the Queen. But there is something because of which the Government does not awaken. And why should it? Sharad Pawar is a known sugar king. Let alone the cooperatives, in Maharashtra itself he has 7 sugar mills. His nephew Ajit Pawar has also recently set up his own sugar mill. Apra Saheb’s son has also started a sugar mill. You would
be surprised to know that the president of Maharashtra Sugar Mills Owners Association is none else but Maharashtra Minister from NCP quota Mohit Patil. Even Chief Minister Ashok Chavan owns several sugar mills. So those out to milk the masses did so all this while. We started a fire, but got only ash in our hands. Why curse Sharad bhau, he is only a businessman first and a Cabinet Minister later.