Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh):
Buzz over bungalow
Minister in the state cabinet is fed up with his senior colleague. After the government formation, the senior minister got a new bungalow, and the one, where he was living was handed over to his junior counterpart. Although the minister has taken possession of the new bungalow, he did not vacate the old one. His junior colleague is praying to the minister to move out of it. Though the senior minister has assured him of vacating the bungalow, he has locked its two rooms. The senior minister said as his son’s personal effects had been kept in these rooms, he was unable to vacate the bungalow, but his stubbornness has upset his junior counterpart. The senior minister is very rich, and owns many houses in the state capital, but he is still attached to his old bungalow.
Imparting training
A minister in the state is imparting training to the youths in his constituency. He has baptised the scheme for training after his name. He sought applications from youngsters of his constituency and selected some of them after an interview. Now, the minister plans to employ these youths in his constituency. The minister recently conducted a training session in his bungalow. The minister courted many controversies after the government formation. He has the support of a senior politician who advised him to keep away from controversies and do some constructive work. So, the minister has come up with an innovative idea – to impart training to youths. But there is another side of the story: the minister wants to take feedback about his constituency through these youths. His constituency comes under rural area, and he wants to render his own purpose through these youths: To get feedback without spending money.
Show of strength
Show of strength by a Congress leader in the state capital is being discussed. The leader displayed his strength on his birthday when his supporters from across the state came to Bhopal; and many party leaders reached his Bungalow to give him their best wishes. Those who arrived at his bungalow belonged to a particular group. At present, he has no responsibility in the Congress. So, politicians are decoding the significance of his show. The Congress leader’s intention behind the event may have been to tell his detractors that he still has many supporters. The leader has set his eyes on a post in the state party unit, which he used to hold. The leader thinks the person concerned holding the position now may be removed in the coming days, because resentment is brewing against him in the party. Thus, the objective behind the show may have been his intention to reclaim the position he was holding. Anyway, the leader seems to be more acceptable to the party workers than the present incumbent.
Only 50 employees
A minister is unhappy about the budget of his department and the number of employees working there. Only 50 employees, including a few officers, are working under the minister besides its budget being less than that of other departments. An IAS officer posted there does not give much importance to the minister who has little work in the department. He has been demanding the Chief Minister for several days to allot him another department. He has recently gone out of the state with CM to attend an event associated with the department. After the meeting, CM told the minister that such a national symposium on his department had indicated its importance. The minister curtly said to CM that such an important department should be given to someone else, and, instead, he might be handed over a unit less important than the present one, where he should have at least something to do. The minister is happy after being appointed in-charge of a corporation, because 100 more employees will work under him now.
Hopes shattered
Yearn for doing social work through politics has been laid to rest in the chest of the by-gone era. Now, people take to politics to make money and gain power. Because the members of the ruling dispensation are not out of the ordinary people, they also crave for power. This is the reason why many BJP leaders – especially the ones who are very senior in the outfit and working for the party without any ministerial or other portfolios – were eagerly waiting for appointments in corporations and boards. They thought if they got a position in a corporation or in a board, they would have the status of a minister. But the state government’s decision to give additional charge of such organisations to the ministers has upset these politicians so much that they are pouring out their pains – overtly or covertly. Jealous they seem to be of those who have been handed ministerial berths as well as made in-charge of corporations and boards. As those who yearned for positions in the government establishments after being denied tickets either for the assembly election or for the parliamentary polls have – but for spewing venom against their own party men – nothing to do now.
Penned in the past
Once an MP, now a minister in the state cabinet with two portfolios seems to be penned in the past because of his fondness for his old pals belonging to his parliamentary constituency that he represented. Now, he is an MLA from an assembly constituency. Perhaps, this is what he is oblivious of. And it reflects in his conduct. The Minister’s love for his old chums from the parliamentary constituency is so deep, that he barely pays any attention to the ones from the assembly segment. His old associates continue to play an important role in making decisions as well as in appointments of his personal staff. As a result, the people of his new constituency feel neglected. Perhaps, the minister believes in what William Shakespeare said in Timon of Athens: “But where there is true friendship, there needs none. Pray, sit. More welcome are you to my fortunes, than my fortunes to me.”
