Third eye: Professional help for Railways

Quick Reaction from BJP

With Arvind Kejriwal’s public declaration that former BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu will be more than welcome in AAP, the BJP appears to have swung into action to keep the former cricketer in good humour. BJP V-P Prabhat Jha recently had a luncheon meeting with Sidhu before AAP could even extend its invitation for more serious talks with ex-Amritsar MP.

Professional Help for Railways

To encourage out-of-the-box thinking in the railway ministry, Suresh Prabhu has hired a young professional from McKinsey as his officer on special duty. Hanish Yadav, a pass-out from IIMKozhikode, is supposed to be an expert in drafting policy documents. He also has a railway background since he did his engineering from Indian Railways Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Jamalpur.

Awarding East Policy

ICCR has sponsored several scholarships for foreign students over decades. It is only recently that it has decided to give its first award to one of its alumni. And there are no surprises that this is going to a national from Vietnam in the backdrop of India’s Act East Policy and closer Indo-Vietnam strategic partnership. The recipient is currently Asean secretary general and one of the top diplomats from Vietnam

A Badal to Take on Two Badals!

Though he lost in 2012 state polls, Manpreet Badal did give Harsimrat Kaur Badal a run for her money by bringing down her vote share. Taking a cue from his last performance, coupled with current rising discontent against the Akalis in Punjab, talks in state Congress are on to pitch Manpreet against two Badals in their citadels in 2017. Congress only stands to gain if Manpreet wins, and nothing to lose if he doesn’t.