Congress' aging Sheila Dikshit may get breather with SP-Congress alliance

Given the difficulty the Congress was facing in rolling out the ‘Punjabi-born’ Sheila Dikshit as its ‘credible UP Brahmin face’ and given the aging Dikshit’s own difficulties in keeping pace with the demands of campaign, party circles were wondering who was more relieved — whether the UP Congress or its once-foisted CM mascot — with the imminent SP-Congress alliance under Akhilesh’s chief ministerial candidature.



Some spirited information
UK foreign secretary (foreign minister) Boris Johnson was his usual animated self at the ministerial session of the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi. As he dealt with the difficult world of free trade and Brexit, Johnson provided some laughter when he revealed his Indian friends’ love for Black Label whisky, which he got for them every time from the duty-free shops in Delhi or Mumbai.



Churning in Gujarat BJP
With infighting between the Gujarat CM and deputy CM becoming a matter of public knowledge, BJP insiders say Union MoS road transport and shipping Mansukh Mandaviya could well be the Gujarat chief ministerial candidate in the next state polls. Some others say Gujarat MoS health Shankar Chaudhary could also be in the race. But all this will depend on BJP’s show in Uttar Pradesh elections.



Under media pressure
Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala has sent back the state’s recommendation — Justice Vishwanath Shetty — for the post of Lokayukta, apparently due to media criticism. Even opposition BJP had backed Shetty’s candidature. A minister in the Congress government said: “Should we consult the media for an appointment?” The post was vacant since Justice Bhaskar Rao resigned in December 2015.