Golden Oldies
Bengal CPI(M) leaders are annoyed with reports that the party is full of oldies. Since clashes began with the ruling TMC, almost all top CPI(M) leaders have taken to the streets. Pointing to recent photos of the police dragging away a young party worker during the nomination process for panchayat polls, a veteran observed, 바카라We are a party full of young blood, but even the older members are not afraid to go out and protest. Perhaps you see our older ones more as they are more spirited than those in other parties.바카라 The veteran was referring to the way both the big national parties have sidelined their senior leaders.
A Freebie Hunt
It hasn바카라t been easy for the Election Commission to keep tabs on freebies to woo voters in poll-bound Karnataka. And it isn바카라t just about the tangibles on offer바카라the parties are also sponsoring lavish meals, wedding receptions and temple festivals. Loads of mutton and chicken are flying off the shelves, but the EC바카라s teams are finding it difficult to link the rising sales to parties luring voters. Demand for gold and silver ornaments has also gone up, but that바카라s being attributed to the Akshaya Tritiya festival. Joint teams of the EC, Karnataka Police and the Income Tax department have so far seized over Rs 25 crore in cash, gold and silver valued at Rs 10 crore, 35,000 litres of liquor worth Rs 2 crore and 160 laptops, besides saris and pressure cookers.
The Useful Miner
Bellary mining magnate G. Janardhana Reddy has been making the odd public appearance over the past year바카라first, at a music album launch, then a hospital visit to meet the young man bashed up by a Congress MLA바카라s son in Bangalore. Now, the BJP is fielding his brother Somashekar as a candidate in Bellary city. Janardhana, who has been barred from entering Bellary, is reportedly moving to neighbouring Chitradurga to help with close friend B. Sreeramulu바카라s campaign there. The BJP typically glosses over its Reddy connection, given the mining scam. But, hey, it바카라s an election and the party can use all the help it can get.
Overheard Rattled by Smriti Irani바카라s frequent trips to Amethi, Rahul Gandhi recently spent three days there, accompanied by his mother Sonia Gandhi, who held a janata durbar in Rae Bareli.
