Periscope

Abhimanyu
Mollycoddling Mamata
 Worried by the Trinamul Congress chief, Mamata Banerjee’s decision to quit the UPA II, the Congress president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi believed to have told the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh to look into the issues raised by her. Though the PM apparently nodded in agreement but is not in a mood to concede to Mamata’s demands.  Dr Singh,who never liked being described as the “ weakest” Prime Minister by his rivals was shattered when even the global media hammered him. It now seems that the government and the Congress Party are pulling in different direction.
Diseased dynastic plot

 Is Sonia Gandhi in a hurry to anoint her son Rahul make him takeover the reins of the organisation?  If rumours are to be believed then Mrs Gandhi, whose health has been somewhat bothering her, wants her son to takeover the Congress as vice president. Mrs Gandhi, who often has to travel abroad for health reasons, wants her son to manage the party affairs in her absence. Now that Rahul is being ruled out to be a part of  a government in crisis, the Congress lovers may seem him calling the shots officially in the organisation. And with Rahul  emerging as the big boss, it could mean the end of  the road for leaders like Ahmed Patel, one of the closest aide of  Mrs Gandhi.
Horse-trading spiral
 

With Trinamul Congress chief, Mamata Banerjee withdrawing support a section in the CPI(M) is in favour of  striking an electoral alliance with the Congress during the forthcoming general elections. This particular section of  CPI(M) leaders feel that the only way to regain its lost territories in West Bengal is to latch on to the Congress bandwagon. Despite being routed by the Trinamul in the State, the Left parties had managed to get 40 per cent of the share. These leaders feel that it can get bounce back yet again with Congress support.

Retail FDI is Manmohan’s googly on Sonia
 
Despite the Prime Mnister, Dr Manmohan Singh’s push for reforms including FDI in retail, the real inflation has returned to double digits. The retail inflation returned following the soaring prices of vegetables, cereals, sugar and protein based items. Provisional annual inflation rate based on consumer price index (rural and urban) for August 2012 was  10.03 per cent as compared to 9.86 per cent for July 2012. While Manmohan Singh continues to suffer from policy paralysis,  prices of cereals have gone up by 8.50 per cent, vegetables by 20.79 per cent, sugar by 17.51 per cent among others. While the people of the country continues to suffer, Prime Minister seemed to be engaged in trying to save his government and image. But how?
Unsettled at home
 
Back to Rahul Gandhi yet again. While his mother, Congress president, Sonia Gandhi is in a hurry to see her son grow up and take charge of  the party, the Congress’ PM in waiting is having difficulty to enter his own territory.His visit to Amethi was marred  by protests by the local people. Rahul Gandhi was accused of making false promises. This has rattled the Congress leaders, who are pinning all their hopes on “Rahul baba” to lead them to power yet again in 2014. “If this man is having trouble in his own turf, how can you expect him to lead us in the polls,” a Congress leader was heard saying. The leaders are also aware that the leaders of the UPA allies, barring the RJD chief, Lalu Yadav, have scant respect or faith in Rahul’s leadership.

UPA on liquid diet
 
This is what Mamata Banerjee has to say on the government’s move go for cap on subsidised LPG cylinders. Mamata, who is now demanding that the cap be extended from 6 to 24, called the cap on LPG cylinders at 6 as “dieting not eating.”