From the India Gate: Mutiny at 'Home', Vande dilemma and more

HAMLETIAN DILEMMA

To welcome or not to. To applaud or not to. To oppose or not to. All major non-BJP political parties in Kerala were on the horns of this Hamletian dilemma when the Vande Bharat chugged in.

They stood clueless and confused like a batter facing a naughty doosra. The Centre government’s decision to introduce Vande Bharat was a surprise to all. But BJP workers made maximum mileage out of this and greeted the train in all major stations it stopped. They showered golden petals of cassia as the day was auspicious Vishu day. 

Other parties could not oppose as the need for a fast transit train connecting south and north Kerala is being increasingly felt. Neither could they welcome the train as it would mean endorsing PM Modi's Vishu gift for Kerala, where BJP is making an all-out effort to win a few seats. 

CPM and Congress leaders understandably kept quiet. But surprising was the FB post of a saffron-clad comrade. The Swamiji decided to do back-of-the-envelope math and argue that Vande Bharat was a more costly affair than the proposed Silver Line of Left Government. 

But Swamiji conveniently ignored even mentioning the huge cost -- close to Rs 1 lakh crore -- that would have been incurred for land acquisition and other development works. Vande Bharat has literally derailed many political ambitions.

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'STEAL'Y RESOLVE

It definitely is not easy to break or even bend steel rods. Street magicians sometimes showcase such a feat for a few coins. But such an attempt by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's son K T Rama Rao ended up puncturing his political ego and even that of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi.

KTR rushed in to claim credit for "forcing" the Centre to shelve its move to disinvest the Vizag Steel plant.

Following a comment by Union Minister of State for Steel Faggan Singh Kulaste that the Centre might put on hold its proposed plan for Vizag Steel Plant, KTR boasted that the decision was the result of an ultimatum given by KCR.

KCR said his government would participate in the bidding process through the state-owned Singareni Collieries Company. KCR's speech coincided with the above-mentioned statement from Faggan Singh that the Centre 'may' hold back the disinvestment move temporarily.

But the chest-thumping of the father-son duo was short-lived with Centre making it clear that it will go ahead with the disinvestment process. Never rush to steal the limelight.

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MIDAS TOUCH

In Ballari, money will flow like water from the Tungabhadra reservoir is an adage that floats during elections. This poll season, guesstimation is that around Rs 500 crore will be spent by the super-rich candidates fielded by all three parties in the Ganinadu (land of mining).  

For, all of them are 'Lakshmiputras', literally, known for loosening purse strings during elections. Starters have already reached voters in the form of pressure cookers and other goodies. 

The wait is now for the final act of this drama when the notes-for-votes scene will be screened. It is murmured that each voter will get around Rs 6000 during the finale.

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MUTINY@HOME

Many senior politicians in the country have faced open revolt from their grown-up children when their ideologies run parallel.

A veteran cabinet minister is facing this plight in Rajasthan. Whatever he announces would be opposed and openly protested against by his son. Recently, the minister -- who is very powerful in the Cabinet -- announced that statues of Baba Saheb and Maharaja Surajmal will be installed at a different spot in Bharatpur to pacify protests. 

But the son immediately announced that the statues will be installed in the same place where it was originally planned to. The father has now lodged an FIR against the son.

But voters are confused as the minister has failed to convince his own son about the move to shift statues. Sources close to the family say that the son is drawing power from his mother who is the real "home" minister.

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