The Hindu : National : Rajasthan too hot for Azhar

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 01, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

National

National

Rajasthan too hot for Azhar

Former Indian cricket captain Mohammed Azharuddin had to beat a hasty retreat in Rajasthan when Muslim groups opposed the Congress’ plans to field him from Tonk-Sawai Madhopur for the Lok Sabha elections. They said it was “humiliating” that the Congress was considering an outsider who had no connection with the desert State. An embarrassed Pradesh Congress Committee president C.P. Joshi had to say that Azharuddin’s candidature was a “media creation” even as the cricketer made a surprise visit to Jaipur. After the fiasco, they decided to field the former captain from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh.

Sleepless in Secunderabad

When he was in power, the workaholic former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, used to famously say he would not sleep and not allow others the luxury either. He may not be in power anymore but he has been following the same principle for the last few days, spending long hours sorting out the knotty problem of seat-sharing with the Telangana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) and the Left parties. In the process, he has been clearing and releasing his own list of candidates at the most unearthly hours. Though the first two lists were announced by 9.30 p.m. on March 25, the third was announced at 1.30 a.m. on March 28 and fourth at 3 a.m. on March 29.

Smack me, I’m standing

Former Minister and senior Telugu Desam Party leader Mandava Venkateswar Rao gets slapped by his cousin before filing his nomination every election. He doesn’t file his papers until he observes this ritual. True to form, Mr. Rao filed his nomination for the Nizamabad (Urban) Assembly constituency on Saturday only after getting slapped by his maternal aunt’s son Kutumba Rao at his residence in Dharmaram village in the presence of mediapersons. “A slap from my cousin who is elder to me is like a warning for me. It reminds me of my responsibility and the need for humility,” he says.

Osama or Obama?

Osama/Obama…a single letter can make a huge difference. “Who do you want? Osama or Obama? When one single letter can make such a difference, why don’t we all exercise our franchise? A single vote can also make a difference in any election; therefore do not forget to cast your vote.” This type of poster has been pasted in Metpally town of Karimnagar district in Andhra Pradesh by the Snehalaya Friends Youth Association to tell people to exercise their franchise. “A single vote would mean a lot of difference,” the poster reads, calling on people to go out and cast their ballots.

Filmi politics

A film that features two Lok Sabha election candidates has become the topic of controversy in West Bengal. Starring Tapas Pal, Trinamool Congress candidate from Krishnanagar, and Shatabdi Roy, candidate for Birbhum from the same party, the film, Dhaki (Drummer), is being screened in Kolkata. The Left Front alleges that the two are using the film as a medium of campaigning and want it pulled from movie halls. They have also demanded that no television channel screen their films till the elections are over. The ‘star’ candidates, however, are not put off. “I have starred in some 250 films and Tapas-da [Tapas Pal] in 300 films. The television channels will have to shut down if they do not screen our movies,” Ms. Roy said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National