Border Crossing

CM Babulal Gaur’s recent visit to his ancestral village in Pratapgarh district, UP, after 14 long years, has sparked off a controversy. Overcome by the moment, Gaur sanctioned Rs 50 lakh for the development of Orripur Naugir which, needless to say, has the Opposition in MP livid. Rahul Singh, state Congress vice-president and son of Union minister Arjun Singh, said: "It’s a cruel joke. Gaur is so indifferent to the people of MP, he should go settle in UP." Ex-CM Digvijay Singh of the Congress says Gaur’s gesture is unprecedented. "The CM is empowered to use his discretionary funds, but he needs to get it approved by the assembly...he must justify the spending," he said. In damage control mode, Gaur is now preaching brotherhood between states etc.... But no one’s buying it.