Last year, the Aam Aadmi Party ruling the capital had constituted the Delhi Dialogue Commission to implement its vision for governance. Over the year, it has emerged as a powerful body — some call it an alternative power centre — with its vice-chairman, former journalist Ashish Khetan, getting facilities at par with a Cabinet minister.

Now, suddenly, the AAP government has renamed the think tank as the Delhi Dialogue and Development Commission. The renaming has caused wags to comment that after all the dialogue baazi , the think tank may be finally getting down to work.

Perplexed invitees

Ahead of the various State elections and in a break from the launch of the Government’s previous flagship schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Skill India and Digital India, the Stand-Up India inauguration left many invitees perplexed.

The launch, which was in Noida, had over 6,000 attendees who were entertained by actor and singer Manoj Tiwari, who is also a BJP MP.

However, to some, it seemed more like a political rally with a number of MPs from Uttar Pradesh sharing the dais with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Slogans of “ Bharat Mata ki Jai ” were heard all around.

Malwani spice on Konkan trains

Passengers on the Konkan Railway will soon get home-cooked meals on wheels thanks to a pilot project to include women’s self-help groups in railway catering services. The National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD) has just signed an agreement with Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation to this effect. Kudal and Sawantwadi in the Sindhudurg district of the Konkan region are primed to be the first two stations to test the new concept. If you happen to be on this train some three months from now, you can expect a dash of Malwani flavours to spice up the picturesque journey.

Chandy’s record

Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy tends to take allegations and scandals in his stride. Recently he told the media that he faced the largest number of (false) allegations and (ill-motivated) scandals in Kerala. Perhaps, he said, he could be holding a record on this score. “I am not willing to give up my record to anybody,” he said. True, in all of Kerala’s 60-year democratic history, no chief minister has faced so many allegations, political as well as corruption-related. Well, the voters will decide whether these were ill-motivated in the May 16 Assembly election. True or false?

Political games

President Pranab Mukherjee will complete his term on July 25, 2017. Who will be his successor — or whether he will get to serve another term — is a million-dollar question in political circles. Former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh recently ‘floated’ the name of Amitabh Bachchan, a close friend of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had roped in the Bollywood megastar as brand ambassador of Gujarat Tourism, for India’s highest civilian office.

Recently, Chief Minister Anandiben Patel scotched rumours of her ‘impending’ removal, saying she would “complete” her term. Elections for a new Gujarat Vidhan Sabha will be held in December 2017. Given the existing political scenario, the BJP may find it difficult to return to power in its most friendly State. This has triggered another set of rumours of Anandiben’s replacement by mid-2017 so that a new CM could steer the party to victory. In which case, political sources believe, she may be elevated as the next President of India, only the second woman to hold the country’s highest office after Pratibha Patil.

If that happens, Gujarat will emerge as the engine of India, what with the President, the PM and the BJP president being from the same State! All hail!

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