Deep Throat

No-Fly Zone

Sachin Pilot is often found dodging questions on the Gujjar quota stir. But the Rajasthan deputy CM, who is a Gujjar, couldn’t wriggle out of an ambush at a recent media briefing in Jaipur with CM Ashok Gehlot by his side. This happened when a journalist asked about the stir. Pilot enq­uired if the question was for the party or the government, to which the journalist pointed to the latter. Pilot then steered the microphone towards the CM, who turned it back to the young leader and said: “You are both, the party and the government. So, you will have to answer.” Pilot, the state Congress chief, saw through the trap and laughed.

Plenty Problem

The AIADMK has the comfort of 37 of Tamil Nadu’s 39 MPs in the Lok Sabha. But this cushion is giving the party the heebie-jeebies ahead of this summer’s elections as it might have to ‘sacrifice’ the re-election hopes of at least a dozen of its current parliamentarians if it finds prospective allies and shares seats. That could lead to a mutiny, a situation an AIADMK without Jayalalitha’s charisma can’t afford. The party can’t ignore the possible partners as well. The BJP, PMK, Vijayakanth and G.K. Vasan are keen to come on board with their own numbers and choice of seats. The BJP is insisting on ‘winnnable’ seats in AIADMK strongholds such as Krishnagiri, that Lok Sabha deputy speaker M. Thambidurai represents. No wonder he is spewing anger at the NDA government.

Sahib Bahadur

J&K governor Satya Pal Malik courts controversies at the rate of almost one every week. The latest is about Kargil’s ­demand to ‘share’ the headquarters of the new Ladakh ­division. Leh is the HQ currently but Kargil wants it to be rotated between the two. The governor is facing criticism over his stand, or the lack of it. And in a riposte to barbs from political leaders, he said he is the governor as well as the CM. The PDP responded by calling him Sahib Bahadur. “Beg your pardon Excellency! Wrongly advised. You are only constitutional head running makeshift administration. Pl recall LK Jha, NN Vohra for guidance,” the PDP tweeted.