Himachal Diary: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra makes exception

In a shift from normal when Priyanka Gandhi Vadra during her visit to the state capital would keep her visit private, the Congress leader made an exception as she visited the Rajiv Bhawan after the party’s triumph in Karnataka. While Sonia, who arrived here on May 12, remained at her daughter’s cottage at Chharabra, near here, Priyanka made a brief visit to the Congress Office to meet enthused party cadres. She freely interacted with people on The Mall and Ridge, hugged women and got selfies clicked. She also sipped black coffee at the Indian Coffee House, a favourite haunt of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Message to someone!

A post on social media by PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh a few days back triggered a storm of speculations about the state of affairs within the Congress. The PWD Minister wrote that the Cabinet rank doesn’t hold any importance for him, being in the heart of people was the most important thing. When asked about it, the minister clarified that it did not mean anything beyond what was mentioned in the tweet. Notwithstanding the clarification, it’s apparent that the minister wanted to send out some message to someone!

Police in a fix

The recent tiff between the truck union and oil company bottling plant had police officials in Una in a fix situation. While on one hand the police was bound to follow the orders of the Himachal High Court, on the other it was under political pressure to help truckers. Some senior police officials had to switch off their phones to avoid diktats from politicians who were pressing them to act in favour of truck union even if that meant following illegal measures.

Factionalism to fore

Factional fight is not new in the Solan Municipal Corporation where two factions of the ruling Congress have been trying to prove their supremacy. After an ugly spat in the general house and an unsuccessful attempt to dislodge the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor, nomination of councillors is the latest instance. Factions owing allegiance to the Cabinet minister DR Shandil and other senior Congress leaders have been trying to get their loyalists nominated as councillors. This has inordinately delayed their nomination even as a few in the list are involved in anti- social activities.

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