A new dawn

If 1, Anne Marg in Patna wore a deathly look last Tuesday morning, what must have been the prevailing mood in Nitish Kumar?s bungalow in Delhi? Jubilant? Boisterous? No, not even when the results trickling in began to indicate an RJD rout. No frenzied mob bursting crackers, or distributing laddoos, hoping to be immortalized by the TV cameras which were dutifully present to grab the bites. Inside the house, Nitish Kumar did his morning yoga and went about his work without feeling an urge to switch on the telly. That is, till Sharad Yadav arrived, sporting a Pringle sweater, and ordered the TV to be put on. And there was Ram Vilas Paswan playing the kingmaker on the screen. Sharad Yadav was far from impressed: ?If I had his result, I would not be able to show my face for three days,? he remarked. In a few hours, the gathering had become quite impressive. BJP leaders Arun Jaitley, Ravi Shankar Prasad (hand in a sling), Sushil Modi, Rajnath Singh and Murli Manohar Joshi were all there, to the great relief of the journos. The prime minister too was on the phone to congratulate the new chief minister. And then, it was finally Nitish Kumar?s turn to face the waiting newsmen. And who better to assist him with microphones and audio systems than the former physics prof, Murli Manohar Joshi?

Left out in the cold

One NDA insider who is not too pleased with the Bihar mandate is Shatrughan Sinha. Once considered the BJP?s chief ministerial candidate for the state, he has fallen foul with the BJP leadership, so much so that his re-nomination to the Rajya Sabha looks impossible. But Shotgun has none but himself to blame. First, he decided to play hard to get during the early days of campaigning in Bihar. Later, when pollsters predicted a BJP-JD(U) victory, Sinha thought he must act fast, and offered to campaign. But the much-rebuffed leadership was not having any more of his antics. And so, when the banquet began, he, like Cacophonix, was left out of it.

A shoulder to cry on

While fortune frowns on some, she also smiles on others. Priya Ranjan Das Munshi is certainly in fortune?s good books at the moment. But that does not cut much ice with Bengal?s communist MPs in New Delhi, who certify that he is a far more accomplished actor than his actor-wife, Deepa. Das Munshi?s histrionic skills were there for everyone to see last week. Right after taking charge of the I&B ministry, he, wife in tow, drove straight to the Chanakyapuri police station, where his party MP from Murshidabad, Adhir Chowdhury, was being held. Priyada walked up to Chowdhury, embraced him, and broke into tears. Between sobs, the minister is known to have sworn to the arrested MP that he was prepared to make any sacrifice to get him out of jail. Mass movements were also promised, as slightly bemused policemen watched the sob-drama. When can we expect the ?sacrifices? and ?movements??

Lady love

Did someone say that change is perhaps the only constant in politics? Uma Bharti would agree. Since the time she threatened to launch a public stir if Sonia Gandhi became the prime minister, much change has come over her. She whispered to Congress spokesperson, Anand Sharma, recently how she ?privately? admired Sonia Gandhi?s conduct. When the compliment reached madam, she is known to have returned it with her own admiration for the sadhvi?s grit and her ability to stand tall (now was that a tad sarcastic?) on gender-sensitive subjects.

Culture is supreme

So you thought Jaipal Reddy had fallen from 10 Janpath?s favour? Those who try to gauge madam?s disposition by the movement of portfolio do not know her well enough, it seems. Reddy may have been relieved of the I&B ministry, but he still retains culture, a portfolio close to Sonia Gandhi?s heart. In fact, Reddy gets a tinkle from Janpath every now and then, when madam needs to check on some culture facts.

Cure this headache

Truly, Kapil paaji da jawab nahin. In Calcutta recently to promote a pill to cure headaches, Kapil suddenly claimed that he has never had a headache in his life, and, ergo, never needed to take the pill of which he was the brand ambassador. In other words, how could he possibly ask people to take the pill he has never taken himself? In Mumbai soon after, the manufacturer?s PR people were found discussing strategy following the Haryana Hurricane?s yorker.

Once a member, always...?

Did you know that LK Advani was a member of the Delhi Gymkhana? Or was he? Some years ago, the capital?s social and political circles were greatly amused when Advani was asked to wear a Western suit for the customary pre-admission interview by the Gymkhana?s selection committee. For many, it might have been a small exception to make for such a prestigious membership. Not for Advani, the champion of Hindutva and dhoti-kurta alike. Ending a great deal of speculation among the burra sahibs, Advani turned up for the interview in his good old dhoti-kurta. There wasn?t a single murmur of displeasure from the selection committee, and, of course, our man sailed through the interview, to be inducted as a full member of the Gymkhana. But that was some years ago. Could something rather serious have happened in between? Because the Gymkhana has just released the 2005 directory of its members, and the only Advani in the directory is not called Lal Kishan.