OFF THE RECORD: Of Alibaba and 40 thieves!

‘Alibaba and 40 Chor govt’

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole leaves no chance to target the Narendra Modi government. In fact, Patole, a former BJP MP, was the first to revolt against Modi on the farmers’ issue, come out and join the Congress party. Lashing out at the BJP-led NDA dispensation at the Centre, he said: “Tackle this inflation or we will intensify our agitation against the ‘Alibaba and 40 Chor’ government.”
“The voice of the people against inflation will reach from August Kranti Maidan to Delhi. This is a warning to the government to reduce inflation, otherwise people will teach you a lesson,” he thundered.

Mrityunjay Bose, Mumbai

Sackfull of coins and
a dream bike

The coins he saved for nearly eight years fulfilled a daily wage earner’s wish to own a motorcycle in Assam’s capital Guwahati recently. Upen Roy, who lives in Boragaon area in Guwahati, walked into a two-wheeler showroom with a sack full of coins and bought his dream bike with the coins. Roy saved nearly Rs 1.5 lakh and spent a portion of it to buy a scooty. Workers of the motorcyle showroom shared a photo of Roy with his new bike and the sackfull of coins, in social media. This caught the attention of many on social media platforms. “It was impossible for me to buy a motorcycle had I not saved the coins,” Roy told local television channels, which covered the story.

Sumir Karmakar, Guwahati

New districts and a chance
for a dig

In a rare act of bonhomie, Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy obliged the request of his bete noire, Opposition leader Chandrababu Naidu and said his Assembly constituency Kuppam would be accorded the revenue division status. However, this did not come about without some taunting. “The Kuppam MLA, despite being the chief minister for 14 years, could not make it a revenue division. Anyway, we have now achieved it,” Jagan said, while announcing the functioning of the 13 new districts in Andhra Pradesh on Monday. Naidu gave a repartee accusing Jagan of “unscientifically” doubling the number of districts in the state to suit the ruling side’s political interests. “We will restructure some of the districts after we come back to power, in accordance with people’s wishes,” the former CM said.

Prasad Nichenametla, Hyderabad

Informal unity on the floor

Congress did not call a single meeting of Opposition parties during the Budget Session of Parliament, especially during the second leg that came after the Assembly election results. However, the parties did coordinate by working the phones and informally holding meetings in the lobbies and sometimes inside the Rajya Sabha Chambers. In Rajya Sabha, the AAP was consulted on the Bill seeking to merge the Delhi municipalities. But the Opposition did not press for a vote as the numbers were not on their side. However, when the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill came up, the Opposition had respectable numbers and the entire Opposition coordinated to seek a vote on sending it to a Select Committee on motions by DMK and Trinamool Congress. They did lose but on the floor of the House, they managed a show of strength.

Shemin Joy, New Delhi