Periscope

Who calls the shots?

Once again, the AICC general secretary, Rahul Gandhi is expected to play a key role in the cabinet reshuffle, expected to take place on October 28. Rahul has discussion with the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh and has ordered for younger Turks in his cabinet. With mother, Sonia Gandhi and son, Rahul dictating terms to Dr Singh, this Prime Minister has no option but execute their diktats.

Deflecting Vadra enquiry

In a desperate and brazen bid to save the Congress’ son-in-law, Robert Vadra, the government is trying deflect attention towards the BJP chief Nitin Gadkari. The party’s media managers have also swung into action to woo the national media to  “go slow” on Robert.  As per Congress rumour mill, an unfazed Vadra is planning a long vacation with his family. Both ma-in-law and bro-in-law have also shown keen interest to join the Vadra family.

Congress ka haath, Robert ke saath

Talking about Vadra family, the Congressmen can now be heard whispering — “Congress ka haath, Robert ke saath.”  Some of them are also digging deep into Vadra roots and trace the history of the family to produce before the media at a time, when the party “will serve the Vadras instead of Gandhis,” a Congress functionary revealed.

BSP’s blue-eyed boy

Mayawati’s blue-eyed boy, who migrated to Uttarakhand to ‘advise’ the Congress government is in trouble. Chhatra Pal Singh, former managing director of the UP Rajkeeya Nirman Nigam (UPRNN) that was responsible for majority of the parks and memorials built in the Mayawati regime and now the Advisor (infrastructure) in the Uttarakhand Government, has been served notices by the UP Economic Offences Wing (EOW) that is probing financial irregularities in the Maya regime. The UP Lokayukta is also probing three cases of corruption against him.  Some feel an angry Mayawati wants the Congress to go after him.

Muck on uniform
An internal defence audit on the special financial powers of Army Commanders conducted by the Government’s Defence Accounts wing has claimed losses of over Rs 100 crore in 55 cases of acquisitions of operational equipment for the Army between 2009 and 2011 on account of alleged lack of adherence to due procedures, but the Army has contested the audit report, saying none of the audit report’s observations were true and has added that no rules were violated. The audit report also purportedly says communication equipment with Chinese components were acquired without following due procedure, but Army sources said these were procured after thorough inspection of various aspects but added that the procurement “is under arbitration as the vendor was not able to reveal the Original equipment Manufacturer (OEM)”.

Macabre rites
Superstition continues to plague the country.  The Odisha police  arrested a self-proclaimed Sadhu (god man) and his disciple, who allegedly collected blood from a three-year-old boy by slitting his throat to make an amulet with the talisman would help them unearth some hidden treasure. According to police, the fake god man, Hanuman Baba alias Durodhan Ojha (60) of Khosalpur under Kuakhia police limit in Jajpur district advised one Sashikanta Rout of Sarangpur village to collect blood from a child for making a good luck talisman. Sashikant  made a well-hatched plan. On October 9, he slit the throat of the victim Ritesh Rout, son of Santosh Rout of Sarangpur, while the child was playing near the village temple.