Photo of energy minister Pradyumn Singh Tomar on a hoarding in Ashok Nagar, used for canvassing in civic body polls has aroused much curiosity in people. The stole Mantri ji is seen wearing in the photo is a ‘Congressi’ stole while other leaders’ stoles seen on the hoarding are ‘Bhajpai’. Of course, Mantri ji has been a Congressman. But it’s his past. Embarrassed as they are, the local BJP leaders are trying to find out if Mantri ji picked his old stole for getting photographed in a hurry or if some party leader supplied Mantri ji’s old photo to the publicity agency. Anyway, one should not forget disposing of one’s old stoles while switching over to another party.
IMMEDIATE RESULT
State legislative assembly speaker Girish Gautam didn’t expect the villagers he was trying to persuade to vote for his son would give their verdict so fast, not only verbally but also physically. His son lost the panchayat polls. Ahead of polls, Gautam had to face the ire of a section of villagers who accused him of using his influence to ensure only his supporters get benefits of government run schemes. Gautam’s challenge that he would observe political sanyas if allegations proved true apparently didn’t work for his son. But what is more worrying for his camp is what would happen if the voters in his constituency adopt the same attitude against him in the 2023 assembly elections.
WHO TRAVELLED?
A lady officer posted in Bhopal was, of course, away from her office during the period but a bill of Rs 2 lakh has been sent to her department by a travel agency the car of which was engaged for the officer. Interestingly, the bill pertains to the period when the officer was on leave. Now, the subordinates concerned are at their wit’s end as to how to justify the bill and make the payment. A wise officer’s suggestion has come that the bill should be adjusted in the following months with some additional tours shown on the paper.
SWEATING IT OUT
Union minister Prahlad Patel is sweating it out in monsoon season on his electoral turf in Damoh facing a big challenge from a youth who was on his side till some time back- Siddharth Malaiya, son of former minister Jayant Malaiya. As Siddharth has left the BJP having been suspended from the party for the past one year and thrown a challenge to the BJP candidates the prestige of the union minister who represents the local Lok Sabha constituency is definitely at stake. Patel is trying to leave no stone unturned while moving around in Damoh town and making an appeal to voters.
COLLECTOR’S CAR
A collector’s car is not a normal car which everyone can travel in but when the occupants of a collector’s car got down at Mahakal temple, Ujjain the collector concerned was conspicuous by his absence. Earlier, there was a message to the temple administration that collector saheb’s relatives needed to do a VIP darshan. What triggered off controversy was the fact the collector was outstation and on leave. No other person was supposed to use the car. The collector happens to be from Nimar region.
IT’S MY AREA
There is a tale doing the rounds in the forest department circles over a notice served on a former chief secretary (CS)’s son for alleged encroachment on forest land by him for construction of a resort in a neighbouring district of Bhopal. What is being heard on the grapevine is that the resort owner didn’t do a favour to a senior forest officer who hosted a party at the resort recently. There was some dispute over the issue of payment of the bill. Now, former CS has pulled strings to get the action negated but not succeeded so far in his attempt.
