Murli Manohar Joshi overlooks colleagues' advice, gets knee operation done in AIIMS

Murli Manohar Joshi recently got a knee transplant operation at AIIMS. He chose to overlook the advice of his party colleagues who suggested him to visit a comfortable private hospital instead of the crowded AIIMS. Joshi is believed to have told them that as responsible public figures, they had to repose faith the government-run institutions. Also, Arun Jaitley ultimately had to be shifted to AIIMS to come out hale and hearty.

Self-imposed gag order

Yet another ministry seems to have imposed a gag order on its officials. But in the case of ministry of social justice and empowerment, it seems to have been self-imposed and not a diktat from the minister. Secretary Anita Agnihotri, who has eluded the media even in her earlier stint at Urban development ministry, has been leading her pack in blocking out all information. Senior-ranking officials have now been telling journalists that the only person authorised to speak in the ministry is TC Gehlot, the minister.

AAP hopeful in Punjab

Internal troubles in the Punjab unit of Congress have given much relief to the AAP, which has been working hard to position itself as the chief opposition party in the SAD-BJP ruled state. One leader recently sighed that, thanks to Capt Amarinder Singh’s public outbursts against RaGa, AAP Punjab’s internal problems have gone beyond the media radar and this has helped the party work quietly to put its own house in order.

BJP busy with Rahul Gandhi vacation

BJP leaders were busy convincing one and all on Thursday that Rahul Gandhi has not gone to the US to attend a "Weekend with Charlie Rose" conference in Aspen. Some of them even carried printouts from Rose’s website and said it does not say Gandhi is one of the participants. BJP secretary Srikant Sharma said there is no harm in Congress speaking out the truth that their leader is away on a holiday.