Insider-out

The new Tripura CM, Biplab Deb, has indeed brought about a revolution.

Highly connected revolution!

The new Tripura CM, Biplab Deb, has indeed brought about a revolution. His predecessor Manik Sarkar did not hit the headlines or trend on Twitter as many times in his long rule as Biplab has in the last few months, albeit for the wrong reasons. From making the Internet an invention of the Mahabharat age to having Tagore return his Nobel for literature, he has brought revolutionary changes in the ordinary citizens’ information levels.

His opponents, spoilsports, are demonstrating against him for demolishing their politics, oops party offices, across Agartala. It seems Sunil Deodhar, the RSS man who toiled years in the north-east, is none too happy either. Biplab, however, is blissfully ignoring all this cacophony around him as he goes on to his next blooper, confident in his perception that he’s “like a son to PM”. Well, such adopted family bonding apart, Biplab could have bigger uses for the Delhi Durbar.

After all, he’s also ‘son-like’ to a key member of the Supreme Court collegium, Justice Ranjan Gogoi. Biplab and his wife stayed at the nicely furnished outhouse (household help’s quarters) of Justice Gogoi’s bungalow for many years. In fact, his wife continued to stay there even after Biplab became CM. With their simple, pleasant ways, the Deb family seems to have a created a good impression on the elite Gogoi family. In these times of turmoil, that’s obviously not a small matter!

Cow and holier than thou!

The cow is a central figure of reverence in India now. It always was; now its status in the religious pantheon has gone up several notches. Those of us who were annoyed by Hergé’s depiction of Indian life in his famous cartoon strip in our childhood can excuse him now for catching the true spirit of our spiritual land. Along with the cow—one must admit there’s hardly any stray cow on the roads chomping on plastics—the Kamadhenu too has emerged from the folds of our memory. Whether it’s granting our wishes or not, it’s certainly done wonders for Rajni Sekhri Sibal.

The Haryana-cadre IAS officer has been appointed additional secretary in MHA. Her rather well-researched book on indigenous cow breeds, local tales, and myths interwoven with facts and figures on Indian dairy farming, ‘Kamadhenu: Cow of India’, is being touted as a must-read. If the babus are to be believed, a topper of her batch, she’s not to be closed down easily though! 

Congress turns to crowdfunding

The grand old party is not in the best of health in more ways than one. Finances, the party coffers that is, have not been too healthy since it lost power in 2014. In Karnataka, the party tried out a few innovations, crowdfunding being one of them. Unable to match the BJP’s splurge power, the Congress decided to tap public sentiment on the crunch.

The Congress IT cell diva, Divya Spandana—who was recently congratulated by Priyanka Gandhi for her “good work” on social media—posted a video to not just unveil the crowdfunding plan but also take credit for pioneering the move. Soon enough, her social media counterpart from AAP, Ankit Lal, jumped in to challenge her. Lal screeched that it was not the GOP but the newbie Aam Aadmi Party which had started the trend. Finally, TMC’s Derek O’Brien had to intervene to bring peace in the Opposition camp.

Why was he late?

Those into reading the tea leaves of election were perplexed over one issue: the timing of CM Siddaramaiah’s voting. The ‘hero’ of the show, one Congress leader messaged a member of the party top brass in Delhi, appeared on stage after an interval. Not having it easy either in Chamundeswari or Badami, Siddaramaiah, it seems, was busy monitoring the situation in both constituencies. He reached Badami, his home turf, from where he is contesting, only around one in the afternoon. Challenger Yeddyurappa, meanwhile, cast his vote by 11 am and announced his swearing-in date as well! Jumping the gun?

Lighter moments

In the village, they say someone’s winter is another’s spring. The Rohingya issue may have the entire Jammu and Kashmir worked up, with one group suspecting the other of using the refugees to tilt the demographic balance, but in the Rohingya country, it was different. So it was in the Supreme Court.

The CJI ribbed former law minister Ashwani Kumar by announcing in the open court, hearing the Rohingya issue, “Kumar is saying he’s not a loudmouth!” Kumar feebly protested, saying that a loud voice fell on deaf ears. Meanwhile, EAM Sushma Swaraj and Aung San Suu Kyi colour-coordinated for a photo op.

Santwana Bhattacharya

The author is Political Editor, TNIE.

Email: santwana@newindianexpress.com

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