From The India Gate: A tale of two channels, musical chairs and two frames

BREAKING NEWS

Ever since Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha TV channels were merged as Sansad TV, the tug-of-war between the two has been an interesting sideshow. 

So far, the LS had an upper hand, but certain protocols are increasingly becoming a Gordian Knot for officials of the LS and RS. The head of RS is No 2 in order or precedence while his LS counterpart is at No 6. 

Naturally, given the nature of business in both the Houses, the screen time will also be directly proportional. Interestingly, whispers in power portals indicate that the respective offices are busy keeping tabs on these statistics as well. Being stranded between protocols and privileges is more difficult than walking through desert sands of Rajasthan, quipped a source. Give us a break, please!!

SHOOT AT SIGHT

The occasion was Vijay Diwas. Top personnel in ceremonial uniforms and polished medals mingled with the crowd at the annual event hosted by Army Chief General Manoj Pande at the Army House. Conspicuous was the subdued body language of General VK Singh. 

He first sat behind the junior External Affairs Minister Meenakshi Lekhi, then, just before Prime Minister Narendra Modi walked in, switched to the front row's extreme left corner. However, when President Droupadi Murmu, the Prime Minister and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh went around the enclosure greeting dignitaries,

General Singh was seen in an animated conversation with the Chief Justice of India, D Y Chandrachud. The CJI was seen having an animated discussion with the PM too -- before President Murmu walked in - making one wish to be a fly on the wall to listen in. 

And while all others were not allowed to carry their mobile phones inside, the diplomatic corps were spared, and they were mighty excited, clicking selfies as the PM made his way through the congregation.

No takers for Olive this XMas!

Some political leaders fail to savour the taste of 'Love Thy Neighbour' lesson. This is further underlined by the manner in which an invitation to Christmas celebrations extended by Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan was bitterly rejected by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his Cabinet colleagues. Even the Speaker abstained from the ceremony. And in a 'rare show of solidarity', V D Satheesan, Opposition leader and prominent Congress leader, also kept
away!

Perhaps one simple decision to attend the ceremony would have become the icing on the event or may even have marked a new chapter in Guv-Govt relationship. The Cabinet failed to respect the fact that the Governor had ignored bitter treatment meted out to him during Onam while holding out the Olive branch.

Arif Mohammed Khan was not invited to the Onam celebrations though it is a customary practice to have the Lady and Governor of state as the chief guests.

UNWRITTEN 1000 WORDS

More than the words that explain each pixel captured, some photographs leave one with volumes of thought. All the more intriguing if the frames feature political personalities like the two recent photographs that have gone viral.

LEFT-RIGHT-LEFT:  The first one shows CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and CPI General Secretary D Raja sharing an absolute light moment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The PM was, literally, sandwiched between the two Communist parties. And it was perfect political ammo for BJP workers, especially those in Kerala. Even journalists who watched this scene with ploughed brows were eager to know the elements of conversation that laced the moment.

And none would get it from the PM. Naturally, journos were left with no other option that ask the Left leaders, both known political bête noire of Modi. What we gathered from them revealed that it was Modi's one sharp albeit mischievous comment that had hit the bullseye.

"I don't see you very often; you're probably trying to get away from me, aren't you?" When they heard this, both laughed out loud continuing to hold Modi's hand completing the photo with enough political firepower.

PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE: But it was a totally different Modi in the second photo where he is seen greeting former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda with warmth and respect. The Prime Minister is seen engaged in a very friendly conversation with Deve Gowda, who is in a wheelchair.

Later, Deve Gowda told media that he discussed two regional issues in Karnataka with the PM sparking off political murmurs especially in the eve of Karnataka elections. This moment also opened some memories in another leader who witnessed the Modi-Gowda meeting. Incidentally, he was also present in the meeting that elected Deve Gowda as the 11th Prime Minister in 1996. In other words, it was the day that the Historic Blunder (as CPM were to admit later) was born.

Though VP Singh's name was initially mentioned as a potential PM possibility of the United Front, he, in turn, proposed Jyoti Basu, who was the then Chief Minister of West Bengal. But the CPM central committee rejected this proposal twice forcing leaders to go into another huddle at the Tamil Nadu Bhavan in New Delhi.

An obedient Jyoti Basu's eyes surfed on other faces around him and stuck on to of the prominent leaders there -- of GK Moopanar and Deve Gowda. His first choice was G K Moopanar. But before recommending this, Comrade Basu whispered to a "young leader" standing next to him to check with P Chidambaram about his views on suggesting Moopanar's name.

Chidambaram immediately shot down the proposal with a quick no-never gesture. Jyoti Basu then recommended the name Deve Gowda. A surprised Gowda said: "I have no idea why my name was mentioned here. However, the decision needs to be made by my leader."

That leader was Lalu Prasad Yadav, who was sitting in his inimitable style with one leg raised across the lap. His face did reflect that Gowda's name didn’t have his total endorsement. However, fighting reluctance he sat straight and said: "Well, so be it" paving way for the 11th Prime Minister of India.

CAPTION: Some photographs don’t just capture the present for the future but also click open windows to the past