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UP's laptop brigade: Akhilesh, Rahul and Varun

Last updated on: March 15, 2012 15:57 IST
Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav and Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi

Kissa Laptop ka.
Varun, the psephologist
Rakhi Sawant's Parliament host.
Catch up on the latest capital gossip in this week's Dilli Gupshup.

Kissa Laptop ka: Akhilesh Yadav's poll promise to provide laptops to youths caught the imagination of many youngsters in Uttar Pradesh. Rahul Gandhi's laptop reportedly made some serious errors during the Uttar Pradesh polls. Insiders claimed that assembly-wise statistics of Pratapgarh got mixed up with Kanpur while the Kanpur data was used for Saharanpur.

With such poor poll preparations, the outcome was bound to be disastrous.

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Varun, the psephologist

Last updated on: March 15, 2012 15:57 IST
Varun Gandhi

The BJP had earlier mocked party MP Varun Gandhi for predicting that the Samajwadi Party will emerge as number one in the UP polls, but the latter is reportedly being taken seriously now.

Post-polls, the Pilibhit MP was reportedly called by BJP chief Nitin Gadkari to give his assessment of the prevailing  political situation in the country. Buzz in BJP circles is that Varun will be given some responsibility in the near future.

Rakhi Sawant's host

Last updated on: March 15, 2012 15:57 IST
Item girl Rakhi Sawant interacts with the media outside Parliament

Azeez Pasha of the Communist Party of India was Rakhi Sawant's host in Parliament. The starlet, recently spotted in Parliament, came as the Rajya Sabha MP's guest. Sawant said she came to give her inputs for the Union budget though her wish for a meeting with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee did not work out.

Among other things, Sawant, who is famous for wanting to be famous, reportedly wants a reduction in taxes on silicon implants.

Congress self-goal

Last updated on: March 15, 2012 15:57 IST
Uttarakhand's new chief minister Vijay Bahuguna

The Congress high command's self-goal in Uttarakhand has rattled even the most faithful in the grand old party. Sonia Gandhi's chief ministerial choice, Vijay Bahuguna, had played virtually no part in the state assembly polls. Bahuguna, a Lok Sabha MP from Tehri Garwal, had declined to head the Congress's media committee when electioneering began in the hill state.

The ground for Bahuguna's refusal was also noteworthy. He had cited his relations with former chief minister BC Khanduri, of the BJP, as a reason!

Despite that, looks like an oblivious or generous Sonia Gandhi decided to reward Bahuguna, in the process denying the faithful Harish Rawat his due.

The Rawat-Azad grudge

Last updated on: March 15, 2012 15:57 IST
Union ministers Harish Rawat and Ghulam Nabi Azad

Union minister of state Harish Rawat has a grudge against Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. Rawat was part of Team Azad in the Indian Youth Congress many years ago. According to Rawat, Azad, who was part of the AICC team that picked Vijay Bahuguna, continues to have a rather patronising attitude towards him.

During the selection process of the new chief minister, Azad reportedly took on the responsibility of taming Rawat. The Haridwar MP feels that just as Azad has grown in stature since heading the Youth Congress, he too has a legitimate aspiration to grow.

Rosiah's woes

Last updated on: March 15, 2012 15:57 IST
Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosiah

Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosiah may be in trouble. The former Andhra Pradesh chief minister's name is likely to figure in some cases relating to Jagan Mohan Reddy. Rosiah was finance minister in Jagan's father YS Rajasekhara Reddy's ministry.

The Supreme Court is keeping an eye out too. Normally, governors are given immunity but if Rosaiah's name comes out, the issue of probity is bound to come up.

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Last updated on: March 15, 2012 15:57 IST
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