Goes As He Likes

Days before Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu decided to pull out TDP ministers from the BJP-led government at the Centre, his MP from Chittoor, N. Sivapra­sad had been trying to attract attention to the cause in his own way.  Demanding Special Category status for AP, the actor-turned-politician ado­p­ted dramatic ways of protest in Par­l­iament: From dressing up like a tantric, bare-chested with a long-haired wig and as Lord Kri­­s­­hna, to staging a street-play and protesting INS­ide the House with a rattle. He even dressed up like TDP founder NTR. A BJP colleague says: “At this rate he’ll be Kamalahaasan of TDP”!

Courting Marriage

With deaths, strikes and political manoeuvres filling the news cycle in Jammu and Kashmir, a smaller event has gone unnoticed. Earlier this month, Omar Abdullah reportedly submitted to Delhi High Court that his marriage with Payal Abdullah has broken down irretri­evably and that he wants to remarry. The news evoked no interest in Srinagar. The HC has sought the response of the estranged wife of the former CM, asking her to file a reply before the next date of hearing on April 23. Even social media was silent on this; no one speculated about the woman Omar wants to marry. It seems people have lost interest in the private lives of politicians. This public silence on matters personal, especially in the Valley, might please the National Conference.

Waiting For Exodus

After the huge success in Tripura and other northeastern states, the BJP is now eyeing Orissa. It is not just the ruling BJD which is jittery, the Congress too is feeling the heat. Struggling with a weak organisation in the state, the Congress’s priority is to prevent its cadres and state leaders from jumping ship. Orissa state leaders are believed to be waiting for the “high command” to act or for a “good offer” from the BJP, which had carried out a mass induction of Congress cadres and leaders into its fold in Trip­ura. Orissa may see a similar exodus. A similar result too, the BJP would fondly hope.

Overheard  A Congress leader on Rahul Gandhi’s absence during the Tripura poll results: “The Northeast is not the limit for him. He looks further east...he’s on his way to Singapore and Malaysia!”