Jaitley back in Lutyen's Delhi, Gets a new ministerial Bungalow

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Special Report

Jaitley back in Lutyen's Delhi, Gets a new ministerial Bungalow

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, July 8

Former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will be back in Lutyen's Delhi soon.

If reports are to be believed, Jaitley has been allotted a new Bungalow number 22 at Akbar Road. The bungalow, presentely under occupation of former Union Minister of Steel Chaudhary Birender Singh, is now available for re-allotment.

Arun Jaitley who had shifted to his private house in Kailash Colony last month, has been re-allotted the Type VIII ministerial bungalow by the government. Jaitley had vacated his ministerial bungalow 2 Krishna Menon Marg and declined to become Finance Minister in the Modi-2 government on health ground. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited him to persuade him to stay on the government bungalow and suggested that he take oath as Minister without portfolio until he fully recovers.

It is learnt that Jaitley is showing signs of recovery and responding to treatment lately. As a member of the Rajya Sabha, Jaitley has been offered a ministerial once again due to his seniority. Jaitley accepted the offer and opted for 22 Akbar Road bungalow. However, Chaudhary Birender Singh will vacate the house he gets an alternative place of accommodation. He too is entitled to a bigger house being a member of Parliament since 1984 or an MLA and former minister.

The allotment and acceptance of 22 Akbar Road bungalow is significant in the sense that Jaitley considered his previous official residence as inauspicious. He believed that ever since he shifted to the Krishna Menon Marg house, his health continued to suffer and he had to undergo one surgery after the other.

But the 22 Akbar Road bungalow's previous occupants had been illustrious including Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ambika Soni and others. Its a different matter that Union Power Minister R K Singh remains unruffled with these beliefs and accepted the allotment of Jaitley's previous bungalow at Krishna Menon Marg. He is a former Union Home Secretary and believes and houses don't decide anybody's destiny.

Ends

Fly on the Wall:Naidu refusing to relent, TDP Ministers may quit Cabinet

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Naidu refusing to relent, TDP Ministers may quit Cabinet 

Alarmed over the public ultimatum given by Andhra Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to quit the NDA if the Centre didn't give special status, the desperate BJP leadership found a way. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu landed in Visakhapatnam to open the state investors summit on February 24. Normally, Prime Minister Modi is on the forefront of opening NDA-ruled states' Investors' summit. But he was extremely busy and hence Venkaiah Naidu went to assauge the hurt feelings. However, Chandrababu Naidu reportedly conveyed that his Union Ministers in the Central Cabinet will quit as a first step if special projects for Andhra were not announced.

Another jolt by Modi govt. : Congress controlled clubs evicted from Lutyen's Delhi

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Exclusive story

Another jolt by Modi govt.   

Congress controlled clubs evicted from Lutyen's Delhi

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Feb 11

The Congress -Mukt Bharat campaign of the Modi dispensation moved a step ahead when several prestigious clubs functioning in the Lutyen's Delhi were evicted from their premises.

Be it Aero Club of India, Gliding Club of India or Ballooning Club of India, all have been evicted from the Safdarjung Airport complex from where they were functioning for 30 to 60 years. Incidentally, all these clubs were controlled by senior Congress leaders ever since their inception. Though the Safdarjung Airport has been shut down, the vast complex is used primarily for office purposes by various government bodies, tribunals and clubs.

The Aero Club of India was founded during the British regime over 100 years ago and was known as Royal Aero Club of India. After Independence, it became Aero Club of India and the Gandhis were in control as Rajiv Gandhi was a full-fledged pilot himself and late Sanjay Gandhi evinced keen interest in flying activities too. After their death, it was Capt Satish Sharma, a former Union Minister and family loyalist took control of the Club. The Aero Club of India's life members include Amitabh Bachchan which has 12 other life trustees mostly from air force and flying community. In 1984, the Aero Club's lease was renewed again for 30 years for a fee of Re one as it was a non-profit body. But the Modi government refused to renew the lease and the Club premises has been taken back by the government one fine morning.

Capt Satish Sharma who was also a pilot with Rajiv Gandhi and ruled the roast at Aero Club of India for almost 30 years and his writ ran all over flying activities in the Capital, was thrown out of the premises.

Even Vishwa Bandu Gupta who was heading the famous Ballooning Club of India, was forced to shut shop at the Safdarjung airport complex. He is also a Congressman and was a member of the Rajya Sabha. But he too was served with a notice though he had constructed a massive building on the main Safdarjung Road of the club. But the battle with the Airport Authority of India was lost as the government decided that these private clubs can't be given premium land for a song without serving any public purpose. In fact, the thinking had begun even when the UPA government was in power that these clubs should find new premises and they should conduct only training activities from the area. But the matter proceeded an a snail's pace.

With Modi government at the helms nothing works at a snail's pace, said a top official in the AAI which controls the land at the Safdarjung Airport complex. But Vishwa Bandhu Gupta proved a little smarter as he locked the building and took the Ballooning Club of India office outside the complex. He confirmed that most of the clubs have been evicted. 

Even the Gliding Club of India was forced to shut shop and all the activities relating to Gliding has come to a grinding halt. The 30-year lease of Ballooning club also ended and they too were evicted unceremoniously.

The only saving grace is Delhi Flying Club (DFC) which is also under the control of Capt Satish Sharma. But the Airport Authority of India is determined to evict it on the ground that the entire area is secured and the Club is used for marriage receptions and parties. The government's prime land cannot be used for such activities, said the senior AAI official.

Fly on the Wall : Rahul to hold Open Darbars

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Rahul to hold Open Darbars

The Congress president, Rahul Gandhi, may follow the foot steps of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv to directly connect with party workers and common man. It transpires that Rahul Gandhi's new team of advisers has impressed upon him to spend at least three days a week at the party headquarters 24 Akbar Road whenever in Delhi. While one day will be exclusively earmarked for party workers and common man, the second day will be to interact with office bearers and frontal organisations. The leaders from states will also be given fixed day for interaction with the Congress president. It will be like an Rahul's “open darbar”. The big drawback in the Congress leadership for long had been that neither Sonia Gandhi and nor Dr Manmohan Singh hold such “Open Darbars” for security reasons. But Rahul Gandhi has decided to disregard these concerns expressed by the Special Protection Group (SPG) and conveyed that he would like to mingle with the people freely and hear them out. Rahul Gandhi wants to break the shackles of protocol and norms in the days to come. If sources are to be believed, he will start this practice from early next month.  

Modi Govt. derails Rahul plan, issues eviction notice 

Rahul Gandhi may be contemplating to hold “open Darbars” at 24 Akbar Road from February. But the Modi government has other plans in store and wants to oust the party from its 24 Akbar Road headquarters and other buildings within the next three months. The Cabinet Committee on Accommodation (CCA) has served the final notice to AICC to vacate government two bungalows and also 5 Raisina Road accommodation occupied by the Youth Congress. The notice also includes vacating a residential house in Chankyapuri. The AICC has been occupying these type VIII bungalows since 1976. The CCA's reminded that first notice was given in 2015 and several extensions have been given after the Supreme Court issued eviction orders to all political parties from the Lutyen's Bungalow Zone area. All National political parties including the Congress, BJP, BSP and others have been given alternative places to construct their own party headquarters. The Congress had also been allotted two-acre plot at Kotla Road and construction also began there. But the construction work is progressing at a snail pace. Now the Modi government is determined to oust the AICC at the earliest. The Congress has explained that the completion of building at Kotla Road will take one more year. The Urban Development Ministry is determined to get 26 Akbar Road bungalow given to Congress Deva Dal and 5 Raisina Road bungalow given to Indian Youth Congress vacated immediately and  asked why hefty fine be not imposed for not vacating.. The Cabinet Committee on Accommodation consists of Union Ministers; Rajnath Singh Arun Jaitley, Nitin Gadkari,Ananth Kumar and Hardeep Puri.

State-of-the-art BJP headquarters ready 

Contrary to the AICC which ruled the country for ten consecutive years and failed to construct its headquarters, the BJP president, Amit Shah did a miracle of sort. He has finished the task in less than a year and the new party headquarters at the Deen Dayal Marg near Raouse Avenue is ready for occupation. Shah is determined to vacate the 11 Ashok Road headquarters any time in February when the PM inaugurates the 5-7 floor state-of-the-art building. The building will have 70 rooms-- 45 for leaders and 25 for workers. The 8000 sq meter building which smaller than what was allotted to the Congress, will have a library having 4000 e-books and 5000 on the shelf. A war room on the top floor will be fitted with satlites and connected to all district headquarters. Though a helipad is also being readied on top of the building. But there is nobody to confirm it. The building will have ten high speed lifts and an underground parking facility for 200 cars.

Padma awards; Modi style

Ever since Modi donned the Mantle, the Padma awards have undergone a sea-change. Gone are the days when Governors, Union Ministers and ruling party top leaders used to call the shots. Privately, all of them have been told not to send letters of recommendation favouring persons of their choice. A platform has been created on the website of the Union Home Ministry with detailed parameters to be followed. The names recommended by the high powered committee in this regard were lying on the Prime Minister's table when he left for Davos. Though he landed on January 23 evening, he found no time to look at the names. Reason is that PMO is scrutinizing through its own network these recommendations. If sources are to be believed, the PM did not heed to the recommendations of former President Pranab Mukherjee to award Padam Bhushan to a leading doctor with a private hospital. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Puducherry Governor Kiran Bedi and three other top Union Ministers also met the same fate. Realising that they face humiliation last year, hardly any senior minister has recommended Padma this year directly. By the way, any citizen is free to recommend anybody for Padma award through the MHA website. 

Who is PM's most favourite bureaucrat?

If you think Finance Secretary Hasmukh Adhia is Modi's most favourite bureaucrat you may perhaps be wrong. Adhia is a Gujrati and Gujrat cadre IAS officer. But he would have been secretary in any case due to his seniority in the government. The favour will come when he dons the mantle of Cabinet Secretary. Its a different matter that even here, he will be senior-most secretary in the government. But the Prime Minister surprised the entire bureaucracy when another extension in service was given to    Parameswaran Iyer, as Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation. Iyer was brought from retirement and appointed full secretary for two years by Modi. This was unprecedented as retired bureaucrats are brought in service as advisers/consultants etc. It was expected that Iyer will retire after completing two years. But in another rare decision, Modi gave him one more extension until 30.04.2019.  

Modi placates Parrikar, Gives more buying power

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Modi placates Parrikar, Gives more buying power

But Parrikar wants to return to Goa

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Feb 13

It came as a shot in the arm of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. In a recent order, Prime Minister Narendra Modi armed Parrikar with enormous financial powers and more leeway to improve defence procurement and services.

In a far reaching development, the Prime Minister enhanced Parrikar’s financial muscle four fold in one go. The Defence Ministers prior to Parrikar, had the financial power to purchase defence equipment & systems for Rs 500 crores only at their level.

However, Parrikar was handed down the power to purchase defence systems & platform to the tune of Rs 2000 crores. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) cleared this proposal last week brought before it by the PMO. After this order, Parrikar need not go to the Cabinet or any other ministry seeking sanction before buying equipment upto Rs 2000 crores. Parrikar was also given additional power to purchase equipment worth Rs 3000 crores. However, Parrikar will require the sanction of the Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley for purchases above Rs 2000 crores to Rs 3000 crores.  

The big shot for Parrikar came at a time when the Defence Minister has been publicly expressing his desire to return to state politics in Goa. While the BJP president Amit Shah and Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari only hinted that Parrikar’s return to state politics may be considered, the Defence Minister declared that he will go back.

When Lokmat recently talked to him informally about all the talk of going back to the state, he said, “yes.” He went on to say, “Can’t you see, I have lost my weight here.” Parrikar was talking literally as he had lost almost five kg of his weight during the past one year. The reason given by him was that the food here was bad and even the water didn’t suit him. However, Modi’s move to arm Parrikar with more leeway and powers is aimed at placating him and retaining him in the Lutyen’s Delhi as there isn’t enough talent in the party to hold the key portfolio.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is already handicapped due to her recent kidney transplant and her functional capability has come down drastically. The performance of some of the senior Cabinet Ministers is also very poor and some of the performing ministers do not enjoy PM’s confidence either.

Therefore, it will be extremely difficult for Modi to spare Parrikar for Goa under the circumstances. However, Parrikar is determined to return to his home state irrespective of the poll outcome.

Parrikar’s argument is that the BJP in Goa is sinking and he alone can hold the ship given the political situation.

Federally Yours

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Indian politicians are obsessed with thinking of politics as a mere game of numbers- not one of parties gaining support, or losing it, due to the correctness, or otherwise, and how they're seen to be influencing people cutting across regional or caste lines. An alliance at the top, politicians love to believe, is spontaneously translated to addition of numbers at the bottom. It is not smart thinking as, with the spread of literacy, awareness and satellite television, voters and even lower-rung party workers are getting increasingly prone to draw their own road-maps. Instead, our politicians still talk of merger and alliance as India has remained fixed in the 70's, when the concept of a "front" or large alliance forged at the top and going down to the bottom gained currency for the first time.