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Abhinav Garg
Journalist, The Times of India, Delhi.

Will Advani continue or step down?

Will the BJP President, LK Advani, quit in December ? Pressure is said to be building up for his continuance and it would not be a surprise if the move also gets the support of the former PM, Atal Behari Vajpayee, at the last moment.

Sudhir Kumar to be Vigilance Commissioner ?

Latest information says that Sudhir Kumar will be new Vigilance Commissioner. He is 1968 batch retired IAS officer of Maharashtra cadre.Earlier names of Mssrs U S Mishra,Anil Chaudhry and T K Mitra were in circulation.

Seven IAS quit job

As many as Seven IAS have reportedly quit job in Gujarat during the tenure of the Chief Minister Narendra Singh Modi.

Tikoo to be DGP of J & K ?

Rajinder Tikoo is likely to be appointed new DGP of J & K. He is 1970 batch IPS officer.

CVC returns CBI Jt Director panel

CVC is learnt to have returned the panel of four IG rank officers sent for the post of Joint Director in the CBI. The panel included the names of Salim Ali, SK Awasthi, JC Dabas and Mathur.

Panda seeks retirement

1971 batch Uttar Pradesh cadre IPS officer Devendra Kishore Panda who shot into prominence recently because of "Radha" role, has now sought voluntary retirement.

1972 batch empanelment for DG rank soon

The empanelment of 1972 batch for the DG level rank is likely to be held in a couple of months. Reason, the empanelment of 1972 batch IAS for secretary level has already been accomplished.

Tenure of Rakesh Agrawal to expire today

Central deputation tenure of CBI SP, Rakesh Agrawal, will expire on Thursday. He is 1994 batch IPS officer of Himachal Pradesh cadre.

Agrawal transferred

AK Aggrawal, SA Grade/IRSME/Railway Board, has been transferred to Northern Railway and posted in the cadre.

PM not to appoint Foreign Minister !

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is unlikely to appoint Foreign Minister during the reshuffle of the Union Cabinet.

Gill is PS Transport and Excise in Maharashtra

G. S. Gill (MH:1976) after nearly five years as Principal secretary, MedicalEducation & Drugs Department, has taken over as Principal Secretary,Transport & Excise Department, replacing Rajiv Sinha who has resigned to take up employment with a Private Shipping Company.Meanwhile the transfer of Uttam Khobragade as Secretary Textile is likely to be cancelled and he will continue as VCMD, MSRTC.

IAS changes in J & K

Amit Kushari has been appointed Financial Commissioner Revenue.Present FC Revenue Samuel Verghese has been moved to Labour and Employment Department.

Tiwari to be Chief of MMRAD

Ramanand Tiwari is being tipped to be Chief of the MMRAD in Maharashtra.He is 1972 batch IAS officer. The post has fallen vacant following the appointment of Suresh Joshi as PIC.

Aaj_ki_aawaz

Imaginary meeting for Cabinet Reshuffle....

Sonia visits 7 Race Course to discuss the impending Cabinet Reshuffle. She is graciously ushered into the Living Room where PM and his wife are waiting for her. They greet each other warmly and after the customary pleasantries get down to the matter on hand. Mrs. Singh asks Sonia what she would like to have and Sonia requests for Ginger Tea as she has a bad throat and Mrs. Singh exits.

Sonia: Manmohan Ji I've got a very bad throat….. all that shouting I did after the Volcker Report has really given me a bad throat.
Manmohan: Madam Ji control….. you must control your gussa!!!
Sonia: But Manmohan Ji control nahi hotaa…… and I've another problem and that is when I get angry I also get hungry….. you know Volcker Report has caused me to put on 10 Kgs!!!
Manmohan: Ki keh rahe ho Madam ji…… when I get angry I stop eating….. ire and food do not mix!!!
Sonia: Anyway I've said that whoever is responsible in the Volcker matter will pay….. somebody has to pay for my wieght gain!!!

Tea arrives and Sonia and Manmohan pick up their cups. Seems there is a mix up as Manmohan's cardamom tea goes to Sonia and her ginger tea goes to Manmohan. Fresh tea is ordered and arrives and they pick up their cups.

Sonia: So Manmohan Ji lets start talking on the reshuffle……should it be total or partial??
Manmohan: Madam you make it sound like an eclipse.....just replacement of few parts…… re-haul or overhaul we'll do when things are more conducive!!!
Sonia: So we've got to fill up places vacated by Natwar, Azad, Tytler, Dutt , Yadav….. first Natwar's replacement!!!!
Manmohan : Me Madam me….. let MEA be with me!!!
Sonia: But why do you want to keep it with you???
Manmohan: Madam I'll be able to stay out of the Country more often and not be required to give the clean chits!!!
Sonia: Manmohan Ji this responsibility you cannot escape….. before you go out on any trip you will have to sign blank clean chits!!
Manmohan: Okay….. but then at least I won't be here to answer the embarrassing questions on account of the clean chits!!!!
Sonia: That reminds me you will have to issue a clean chit for Sanjay Dutt!!!
Manmohan : Hai o Rabba……. okay Madam at least till Bush comes I'd like to keep the MEA with me!!!
Sonia: Yes this makes sense …… in fact prior to his visit I think quite a few Cabinet Ministers should give you their Power of Attorneys as many of them are not presentable material…. like Laloo's gang!!!

Sonia requests for Coffee and Manmohan buzzes the bell and calls for Coffee. Sonia's Double Espresso request is not available at 7 Race Course and has to be outsourced.

Sonia: Pranab wanted Defence but now will have to tell him no…… can we shift him to Home???
Manmohan: Why doesn't he like Defence????
Sonia: He's just scared and superstitious…. he feels Defence is ominous!!!
Manmohan: Then who should we make the Defence Minister???
Sonia: Shivraj has a love for guns ….. you know he's called 'gunman' why don't we make him the Defence Minister ???
Manmohan: Madam Laloo has been asking for Home….. he told me he's spoken to you about this!!!
Sonia: I'm tempted…… he was Railway's Minister in abstentia…we can keep Home with ourselves as he will be Home Minister in abstentia and I think Jaiswal can handle the Ministry... but this time its only parts replacement so why bother.... will think about this when total overhaul is to be done!!!

Coffee and cookies come. Sonia refuses the cookies and Manmohan tries to take a cookie but the attendant quickly walks out as Manmohan's Home Minister has given strict instructions cookies are a 'no no' for Manmohan.

Sonia: Soni and Motilal have to be inducted into the Cabinet.
Manmohan: Madam are you passing your headaches to me or are you awarding them for their work????
Sonia: Both!!!
Manmohan: Madam Ji what portfolios do you want for them???
Sonia: I&B for Soni and Power for Motilal.
Manmohan: But Madam if you go by the roles they played when they were with you then Soni should get Power and Motilal I&B…… what do we do with Sayeed and Reddy!!!
Sonia: Reddy ke maamle mein I am thinking…… as for Sayeed lets make him a Governor!!!
Manmohan: What about Satish….. you've been telling me that he has to be accommodated!!
Sonia: MOPNG…. Satish is an old hand in this Ministry……. relieve Aiyer of this additional charge!!!
Manmohan: Bless you Madam….. and Officials in MOPNG will bless you too……. all that he does is correct the English language usage.
Sonia: Joke is that recently a note was forwarded to him and he returned it after correcting the English used in the Note…. grammar, appostrofies, spelling etc. Later it was found that in place of the note one of your speeches had erroneously been forwarded!!!

Manmohan has a dry throat and buzzes for water. Sonia asks for a Fresh Lime Soda. Mrs. Kaur sends some munchies too.

Sonia: We also have to get one of the Spokesmen into the Cabinet as without this reward they may just loose heart……Sharma, Singhvi or Natrajan!!!
Manmohan: I'll choose Natrajan…… she's the least painful!!!!
Sonia: Now to the most important matter….I want to accommodate Antony!!!
Manmohan: (angrily) Madam !!!!
Sonia: No Manmohan Ji all those rumours about me wanting Antony to step into your shoes are abs wrong. Can we make him the Deputy PM?????
Manmohan: I have no need for a Deputy…. why don't you accommodate him in the NAC as your Deputy ???
Sonia: What do you think this is the National Accommodation Council….. also of late I've been toying with idea that why don't we both switch posts!!!!
Manmohan: Very funny Madam ……then what use will the NAC be... as it will then become Non Advisory Council and this NAC will only NAC….. Nap And Crap!!!

Bharat Kumar

aaj_ki_aawaz@yahoo.com

Whispers --- Corporate World -

Jt. Secr to be Shipping Corp CMD ?

Joint Secretary Shipping, Sushil Kumar, may be appointed as functional CMD in the Shipping Corporation.

Proposal of Anil Goyal withdrawn!

The Civil Aviation Ministry is believed to have withdrawn the proposal to appoint Alliance Air MD, Anil Goyal, as acting CMD of the Indian Airlines.

Nair is ED MTNL Mumbai

C.B. Nair has been appointed Executive Director of MTNL - Mumbai.