DILEMMA
Hardly a month has passed since 25 BJP leaders were awarded positions of chairpersons/vice-chairpersons in government run boards and corporations and they seem to be still in a celebratory mood. For some it proved a transient one given the announcement by senior BJP leader Uma Bharti to launch a drive for prohibition in the state. No, they are not supporters of any liquor lobby. They are supposed to be followers of the Sadhvi. If they take part in her drive they would send a wrong message to the government and if they donít then their loyalty with the Sadhvi may be questioned in her camp. A catch-22 situation.
YES MA'AM, PLS SPEAK
Authorities of a department are at their witís end. Whenever, a lady vice-chancellor is given a chance to speak on any topic during any virtual meeting or otherwise their Saheb sounds too soft and listens to her attentively and even tells her that he would look into the points raised by her. Reason is the vice-chancellor happens to be a relative of a senior IAS officer who is posted in Delhi on deputation. This apparent respect for the peer group bothers the department authorities particularly when the vice-chancellor has an opposite view on some issues that officials find it difficult to endorse and want their Saheb to contradict the VCís particular view.
NO STAR FOR NOW
The BJP's star campaigners list for the first phase assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh has come as a shocker for the state BJP here. For, none from among the state leaders figure in the list. Though inclusion of MP leaders' names in the lists for further phases is not ruled out, party leaders know well nothing can be said with surety. This is what worries them. In previous elections in UP the bigwigs in the MP unit of the party were assigned responsibilities months prior to the elections. UP elections are always considered prestigious ones which add to leadersí profiles. A leader, however, is trying to draw consolation from the fact that not only he but none from the party has got a chance.
ANOTHER TEST
It was only more than a month back when collector Jabalpur Karmveer Sharma issued an exemplary order stopping release of his own salary aggrieved at poor response of his subordinates in resolving complaints lodged with CM Helpline. However, he has now another litmus test to undergo- outstanding power bill of Rs 1.33 lakh for power consumption at his official residence. It is learnt the power bill was not cleared since his predecessorís tenure in 2019. As per rules, his predecessor should have cleared the bill at the time of his transfer and Sharma should have applied for a new power connection on assuming office. Both the steps were not taken. His subordinates wait for what sort of unique decision Sharma takes on this.
HAPLESS MINISTER
Farmers welfare minister Kamal Patel has been often in news for protesting against illegal sand mining in Narmada river and demanding strictest action against illegal miners. But there seems to be hardly any effect of his tough stand on illegal miners and also the police force which is assigned the responsibility to check the menace. Fed up with illegal mining in his own district recently the minister asked policemen during a programme if illegally mined sand laden trucks are not visible to them which pass by their police stations. Silence was reply to the Mantri jiís poser.
BUNGALOW OCCUPIED
An IAS officer continues to have possession of the collector's bungalow in a district despite his transfer from there over a month back. The incumbent collector is staying in the circuit house waiting for his predecessor to vacate the bungalow. The former collector's transfer was preceded by two incidents- a local MLA levelling accusations against him to the extent that he feared for his life from him and CM expressing displeasure over district not doing well in certain areas. However, of late, the district got praise from none other than the PM in implementation of a govt scheme. Then, CM too praised the district. Now, well-wishers of the IAS officer feel he may return to the district again and not vacate the bungalow.
