Uttar Pradesh
Welcome Didis
Come elections and tacky, attention-grabbing posters inundate Lucknow skylines. But this takes the cake. Even before a formal tie-up between the Congress and the Akhilesh Yadav faction of Samajwadi Party was announced, this Allahabad Congress leader brought the two families together on his poster. So, Haseeb Ahmad’s new creation has Priyanka Vadra, Dimple Yadav and Sonia Gandhi along with Akhilesh and Rahul Gandhi all in one page to fight ‘anti-national forces’. “Desh virodhi taqaton ko UP mein rokne ke liye hum ek hain—Didi Swagat (We are one to check communal forces in UP—welcome Didi),” the poster reads. While ‘desh virodhi’ is BJP, Didi here is referred to Priyanka and Dimple.
Mr Controversy
Unnao BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj seems to have an unquestionable penchant for courting controversy. After his population control jibe, when party distanced itself from his stand and the Election Commission served notice on him, the Sant Samaj finally came to his rescue threatening an agitation if the MP was arrested as the event he was speaking in was purely religious and apolitical.
Saree, Minister
This minister of the Akhilesh government is never out of limelight—mostly for dubious reasons. Gayatri Prasad Prajapati, who became a bone of contention between the Samajwadi Party patriarch and his chief minister son, Akhilesh, landed in another controversy recently when an FIR was lodged against him for purchasing sarees in bulk in gross violation of the election model code of conduct. A truckload of 4,500 sarees purchased in the minister’s name was seized on Rae Bareli-Fatehpur highway recently. The consignment was meant to be distributed as freebies among voters. Along with Gayatri, truck driver and cleaner have also been booked, EC officials confirmed. When questioned, the driver furnished a receipt in the name of the minister.
Maharashtra
The BJP’s 2014 victory in the general elections still seems to impress the NCP. During an NCP rally against demonetisation in Maval on the Mumbai-Pune expressway, the BJP slogan “Ab ki baar Modi sarkar (this time Modi government)” rang out. Embarrassed party leaders at the venue hurriedly had it changed to “Ab ki baar feku sarkar (this time boastful government)”. After the rally, red-faced NCP leaders had a lot of explaining to do.
Picture Imperfect
Their photographs can sometimes bewilder politicians. A senior Maharashtra minister was worried when he learnt that a relative of underworld don Chota Rajan had taken pictures with him at a private event. The minister had the shutter-happy man traced, who handed over the photographs to the worried politician.
Assam
House That
A First-time BJP legislator in Assam is so upbeat about his victory that he still hasn’t moved to his official residence at the MLAs Hostel in Guwahati. Medical practitioner-turned-MLA Nomal Momin has told his aides that he will directly occupy a minister’s bungalow when he is inducted into the state Cabinet.
Berth pangs
The Assam chief minister can induct 18 ministers into his Cabinet, but even after seven months, eight berths are still vacant. Rumours have it that Sarbananda Sonowal will fill up the ministerial berths in phases to avoid dissent from allies AGP and BPF, who have two members each in the Cabinet and are
demanding two more.