RAISINA HILL (APRIL)

Amitabh Shukla

RAHUL

After Rahul Gandhi became the trustee of Jawahar Bhavan Trust, there was a lot of speculation in the Congress circles. It was said that the young leader wants the old guard of the party to retire from politics.

Three leaders, all in their late 70s, were out in the reshuffle of the trust which carries out philanthropic activities in the name of the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Arjun Singh, who has been left in the cold now after being dropped from the Union Cabinet in May 2009, has been eased out from the trust. Mohsina Kidwai, another member of the old guard and Makhan Lal Fotedar, a close confidante of Indira Gandhi and then Rajeev Gandhi too finds himself out of the coveted body.

What was more interesting was the replacement of Ahmed Patel, Political Secretary of Congress President Sonia Gandhi as the Secretary of the trust. He has been replaced by Moti Lal Vora, the Treasurer of the party. Patel, however, will continue to be the trustee.

The new entrant in the trust is Union Minister Mukul Wasnik, considered relatively young apart from Vora.

RAMESH

Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh has a penchant for controversy. He has already said that he only has the Prime Minister as his confidante in the Union Cabinet. Now he has publicly disowned the practice of wearing the traditional robe in convocation ceremonies.

He called as "barbaric colonial relics" the practice of wearing the traditional coloured robe at convocation ceremonies and publicly removed his own gown at one event during the convocation function of a university in Madhya Pradesh.

"I still have not been able to figure out after 60 years of Independence why we stick to this barbaric colonial relic," Ramesh said while addressing students at the seventh convocation of the Indian Institute of Forest Management.

No one for sure knows how will Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal react to the latest barb from Ramesh. On the Bt Brinjal issue, the minister had locked horns with Science and Technology Minister Prithviraj Chavan. There was a light hearted comment in the AICC when some Congress leaders asked whether the coats and gowns of the lawyers and Judges too was a colonial relic and should be done away with. The controversy will sure not die down soon.

GADKARI

BJP President Nitin Gadkari, an RSS confidante roped in to end the infighting in the party posed 14 questions to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on inflation, poverty etc. the other day.

Interestingly, none of the mainline media bothered to report the issue prominently as Gadkari is considered a lightweight in not only the BJP but also is not taken seriously in government and Congress circles.

“Had L K Advani even now or earlier Atal Bihari Vajpayee had written a letter to the PM, the entire media would have carried it prominently. It will take time for him to settle down and considered a serious politician,” remarked a Delhi BJP leader.

The Prime Minister too has not bothered to reply so far to the letter of Gadkari who is not a member of Parliament. If an MP writes a letter to the PM, the PMO invariably replies to it even though it might not act on the letter entirely.

Gadkari’s 14 questions were nevertheless important an concerned price rise, plight of the farmers and 'aam admi' and reasons behind its failure in curbing inflationary trends.

He asked a perfectly valid question as why inflation in India was at 11 per cent as against global inflation of 1 to 2 per cent. He pointed out that sugar prices in India is more than double and price of wheat was 80 per cent more than the price in other countries.

LALU

After Supreme Court gave relief to former Bihar chief minister and Railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and his wife Rabri Devi in assets case tongues started wagging why it happened.

When Lalu was a part of the UPA, the CBI had gone slow in the case leading to his acquittal by a court in Patna. But when the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar, a bete noire of Lalu and a friend turned foe, filed an appeal in the apex court, it held that the state government had no locus standi on the issue. The Yadav couple was accused of amassing assets worth Rs 46 lakh beyond their known sources of income when Prasad was the chief minister between 1990 and 1997.

Congress leaders say the party wants to keep its options on Lalu as it needs his support for the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha and possibly some kind of political arrangement in Bihar where the elections are scheduled for October-November this year.

AMAR

Expelled and disgraced from Samajwadi Party, Amar Singh wants a political space in the Congress. No wonder he has been praising Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi repeatedly giving the right signals to the party.

When the Amitabh Bachchan row broke out in which first Congress attacked the star and then toned down, Singh defended Sonia Gandhi saying he did not see her hand in hounding of the actor.

"Personally I have full faith in Sonia Gandhi and Rahul and I believe that this can never be done by them," Singh wrote in his blog on the controversy over Congress leaders objecting to Bachchan's presence at a government function.

Even as Amar Singh is sending the right signals, Congress is not amused and has not shown any interest in him. CWC member Satyavrat Chaturvedi has already said that Congress was not a dustbin. The party uses Chaturvedi now and then to attack Amar Singh.

(7.4.2010)

Government proposes corporate houses’ dispose

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Will CSR go for a toss as the government dithers on making it mandatory for the industrial houses to set aside 2 per cent of earnings for social causes

Amitabh Shukla / New Delhi

The proposal of the government to corporate houses that they earmark at least two per cent of their earnings for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has few takers amongst the captains of industry in the country.

Wipro Chairman Azim Premji, who has himself earmarked a substantial chunk of his personal wealth for charity, has come out strongly against the idea of formulating laws on mandatory spending by industry on CSR.

“I don't think you generate CSR by putting statutory requirements. I think there is enough social consciousness among the larger companies to drive it on the basis of what they consider their responsibility,” he said at a joint press conference in the Capital with philanthropists Bill Gates, Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.

Premji was responding to a question on the government’s plan to make it mandatory for corporates to spend 2% of their average income of three years as part of the proposed Companies Bill. “My concern is that you get legislation...and a lot of abuse takes place from that legislation in terms of what you define as CSR and what you define as branding. I would be against it,” he added. The IT Czar, however, said that the government is welcome to issue such a proposal “as a guideline rather than as a mandate or rather than as legislation”.

Corporate houses have been opposing the proposed move to fix a threshold for CSR spending in the form of a mandatory legislation. Minister for Corporate Affairs Murli Deora had earlier said the government is willing to have a discussion on the matter with industry triggering comments by the industrial houses and prominent industrialists.

However, Buffett, who also addressed the press conference refused to comment on the issue. “I know nothing about this tax matter,” said Buffett, the multi-billionaire American philanthropist who is in the country to mobilize opinion and impress upon the industrialists to donate their earnings for charity.

Sources indicated that the government is unlikely to make it mandatory for the companies to spend on CSR. The new Companies Bill, which is on the Board for a while, is likely to make a mention asking companies to spend upto 2% of their net profits on CSR but may not make it legally binding. Interestingly, the Parliamentary Standing Committee, headed by former Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha, with which the Bill has been lying, wants CSR spending and philanthropic activity to be legally binding. The committee argued that companies which have a net worth of Rs 500 crore or more, or turnover of Rs 1,000 crore should set aside 2% of their average net profits for the last three financial years for CSR.

Several rounds of discussions have already been held with the corporate houses, industry associations and industrialists to find a way out. Industry bodies had earlier said that spending on CSR is critical but making it mandatory for firms may not result in best practices. They point out that several companies are already doing it and there was no need to bring in legislation for this purpose. Those against the legislation insist that making it a law would be tantamount to a new control and going back to the licence raj.

Ironically, the stand of the industrial houses comes at a time when the civil society groups have found that a large number of corporate houses do not spend anything on society from which they earn their mega millions. While some large houses indeed spend more than 2 percent on CSR, there are others who consider this spending an exercise in futility and want social entrepreneurship to create lasting wealth instead of earmarking an amount for specific work.

Even as the debate on CSR spending raged on American Warren Buffet who is traveling the world over to promote a culture of giving, arrived in India and asked the industrialists to come forward for charity.

The Berkshire Hathaway chairman and Microsoft’s Bill Gates, the two who who have routinely topped global rich lists for years, have been making efforts to encourage other billionaires to give to social causes.

Called “The Giving Pledge”, more than $125 billion from mostly American billionaires, have been pledged so far. Both Buffet and Gates themselves have pledged most of their own wealth to the Gates foundation. At a press conference later Thursday evening, the Gates and Buffett answered questions about the work of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and their mission to promote giving.

Buffett said he was enthused by the response he received from Indian entrepreneurs. “There was exceptional participation and candour. We certainly experienced great enthusiasm. What form it will take will be seen in days to come,” he added.

Those whom Buffett met in India included top industrialists from groups like the Tatas, Piramals, GMR, Godrej, Britannia Industries, Monnet Ispat and Energy, HSBC, HDFC, Bajaj Auto, Max India, Dabur amongst others. Except the GMR, no group has so far come out openly on pledging their wealth for social causes.

“There was a tremendous give-and-take in the session. It is clear that there is some great thing going on about philanthropy,” Gates said. He spoke of the country's history of philanthropy and its tradition in the country.

Asked whether any of the 70 rich people had pledged their wealth for good reasons, Buffett, said the experience was enthusiastic but a follow-up remained to be seen. “The U.S. receives 2 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product from philanthropy and we hope it would increase in the coming years. India will also see an increase in the number of givers. The people in the room were enthusiastic,” he added.

“We heard many people having made a lot of money in India and willing to give it back to society but were still looking for a way to do so,” Melinda Gates, co-founder of the Foundation said.

Azim Premji, founder of Azim Premji Foundation, said he was completely committed to supporting the larger ambition of catalysing social change to build a better society.

ashukla.mail@gmail.com

(April 2011)

Keeping pets set to become costlier

Amitabh Shukla

New Delhi, January 22

The pet lovers of the Capital would soon be taxed. The Delhi government has given its approval for the amendment of two municipal acts which would pave the way for a tax of Rs 500 annually for each cat or dog which you keep at home.

The tax on pet animals is something which the civic body or the government has never charged in the past. As of now, pet animals are not taxed a single penny. Even the registration of dogs is not compulsory though the civic body expects the owners to keep a record of the vaccination and get it registered.

The Delhi Cabinet passed the proposal for increased tax earlier this week though it did not make it public fearing opposition from all around. The proposals were made in two draft Bills – The NDMC (Amendment) Bill, 2008 and the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2008. Official sources said both the Bills would be passed in the Budget session of the Delhi Assembly in March and implemented soon after.

In a hurry to raise more tax, the Bills also provide for taxing Rs 2500 for each She-buffalo kept for milking and Rs 2000 for each cow kept for milking. Each draught animal, used for pulling carts, would cost the owner a steep Rs 1000 per annum. “Such animals were never charged earlier,” said an official of Delhi government.

There is more in store for the people which is bound to raise the eyebrows of the city politicians who espouse the cause of the “rural lobby” and the 360 villages of the city. Each four-wheeled vehicle drawn by draught animal would be charged Rs 2000 annually while each two-wheeled vehicle drawn by draught animal would be charged Rs 1000 per annum.

Officials said that tonga, which is used as a public transport in some areas, particularly the walled city, would be affected with this order as a payment of Rs 1000 would be quite steep for them. Moreover, a few washermen (dhobis) still use donkeys and the tax on each donkey would be Rs 500. Mules, which too are used to some extent would also come in the category of domestic animals.

The Bill does not give reasons for the tax. “These have not been revised since 1957 when the DMC Act was enacted. As a result, there is considerable erosion in the value of money and ever burgeoning cost of services rendered over time,” said the Bill. (2008)

Entertainment set to become expensive

Amitabh Shukla

New Delhi, January 22

Watching a cinema, drama, concert, circus, entertainment shows or going to a carnival or fete would soon become a costly affair. The civic bodies would increase their tax on all these several times after the Delhi government decision to get the MCD and NDMC Amendment Bills passed in the Budget session of the Assembly.

The Bill says that the tax is absurdly low and the collection charges are much more than the actual tax. For instance, the tax of the civic bodies on cinema chows is Rs 7 per show which was fixed in 1957. This would now increase to Rs 1000 per screen per show in either the multiplex or the single screen cinema hall.

“If some of this is passed on to the cine-goers, the price of cinema ticket might go by a few rupees,” admitted a senior MCD official.

The decision of the Delhi government to introduce the two Bills – NDMC (Amendment) Bill, 2008 and the DMC (Amendment) Bill, 2008 in the Budget session of Assembly was made after a delegation of the MCD met Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on October 29 last year urging for a revision of the upper limit of tax.

The MCD leaders comprising of Mayor Arati Mehra, Leader of the House Subhash Arya and Standing Committee Chairman Vijender Gupta had told Dikshit and her ministerial colleagues that the expenditure and manpower involved in collecting these taxed are much more than the actual collection.

The Bill, therefore amends the Fourth Schedule of the DMC Act which deals with the taxes on cinema and other mode of entertainment. The Minister in—charge Raj Kumar Chauhan says in the Bill that these rates have not been revised since 1857 when the Act was enacted. “As a result, with the considerable erosion in the value of money over time, these rates have turned absurdly low,” said the minister.

The government has not yet determined the money which the civic bodies would get after the taxes are increased in the next two months. The Bill, however says that taxes would be substantial and would accrue to the civic bodies.

(2008)

Policy on beggars needs a rethink

Amitabh Shukla

New Delhi, February 3

The Delhi government has thrown up its hands in despair in its bid to check the rising number of beggars on the streets of the city before the Commonwealth Games, 2010.

Much to its horror, it has realized that it can effectively house only 2180 beggars in all its 11 rehabilitation homes while the number of beggars is close to 75,000 in the Capital. What gives it a twist is that the department has not been able to arrest the beggars as only 1340 of them are lodged in these homes at present, much below the capacity.

The facts came out in an internal meeting of the Social Welfare Department which was chaired by Social Welfare Minister Yoganand Shastri. The Social Defence Section of the department made a presentation on the rehabilitation of the beggars but found that it cannot do so given its own inherent limitations.

Shastri said: “This is a social problem all over the country and is not limited to Delhi alone. We have plan in place to rehabilitate the beggars by teaching them skills like weaving, carpentry, printing, cycle repairing, tailoring, etc. It seems we need to do more”.

The presentation also pointed out that though begging is a cognizable offence under the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959 as applicable to Delhi, the arrests are not serving the purpose of checking beggary. The department intensified its drive in 2007 and arrested 2537 beggars and produced them in court. Those who were “proved to be beggars” were remanded to the rehabilitation homes but were back in business the very next day of their release. In January this year, the department arrested 493 beggars of whom 423 were released by court.

The department has identified 4 problem areas in solving the beggary menace – witnesses not coming forward for evidence against beggars in court, physical resistance from beggars at the time of arrest, sympathy of public for beggars and encouragement by the society due to religious beliefs.

To meet the challenge thrown by the beggary menace, the department has drawn up a five pronged action plan – installation of biometric identification system, setting up of mobile courts, use of cameras for evidence and augmentation of raids. The officials also plan to organize meetings with religious organizations for curbing the menace.

“We hope to control the number of beggars with these steps,” said Shastri, adding, “the society too has to play a role in making Delhi a beggar free Capital”. BOX:

Findings of the Department of Social Work, Delhi University, after a survey and detailed interview of 5003 beggars in 2007. - 29.52 are below 18 years of age

- 69.94 percent are male and 35.06 percent females

- In percentage terms, Hindus comprise 76.26, Muslims 22.63, Christian 0.59 and Sikhs 0.48

- Above 18 years, the able bodied are 66.37 percent while the disabled 33.63 percent

- A whopping 80.65 percent were illiterate and the remaining were literate.

- Of the 3526 adult beggars surveyed and interviewed, 2633 did it because of unemployment while for 863, it was a family profession. Of these, 22 were forced by someone else while 8 were working for an organized gang.

- Of the 1477 child beggars, a majority of 818 did it for food and clothes, 102 due to family profession, 222 for money and 3 for drugs. Another 332 did it for various reasons like sister’s marriage, medical help, not interested in studies, forced by someone, enjoyment or for purchasing drugs and alcohol.

(2008)

Welfare schemes do not reach the beneficiaries

Amitabh Shukla

New Delhi, March 5

The Delhi government has belatedly realized that its welfare schemes, on which crores of tax payer’s money is spent, does not reach the intended beneficiary. It has decided to overhaul its welfare schemes in entirety and has proposed to create a database and introduce Smart Cards for the beneficiaries so that its impact can be monitored.

“We do not have a very accurate figure of people below poverty or homeless persons, but the need for accurate assessment on continuous basis of the number of people below poverty and nature of poverty needs to be made,” said a government note.

The Delhi Cabinet, in its meeting scheduled for Friday is likely to pass a proposal wherein all schemes of social services would be practically merged and monitored with the help of the Non Government Organisations (NGOs). To be called “Mission convergence of social services”, it has been decided to devolve the work of implementation at the lowest level rather than at the level of the Head of Department. From now on the family would be the focus and not the scheme itself.

“We have realized that over a period of time, the benefits are not reaching where it should. With this, we plan to rationalize all benefits which the people of weaker sections get in the city,” said a senior government official.

At present, there are eight departments which implement social welfare entitlement schemes. These are departments of Health, Education, Social Welfare, Women and Child Development, SC/ST Welfare, Food and Supply, Labour and Urban Development through the civic bodies. The schemes include those pertaining to old age assistance, widow assistance, scholarship and stipend to physically handicapped, subsidy on school uniform text books etc,. Pension to the needy and subsidized ration too fall in this category.

“Each of these departments is seen to be ‘doing their own thing in implementing various schemes,” a government note on the subject said. On the reasons for the convergence of all schemes under one umbrella, it said, “There is no coordination or focus on the family. This makes it difficult to assess the quality of the intervention for the family,” the note added.

After the scheme is implemented, most of the funds would be released at the level of the SDM, NGOs would be engaged in the exercise and an IT backbone would be created. Moreover, the NGOs would be responsible for actual implementation at ground level.

A senior official said: “Mission convergence would create a society for enabling the engagement of NGOs, deployment of funds, holding of data on entitlement categories and release of welfare entitlements to various persons”.

(2008)

Cong tries all tricks to make Sonia rally a success

Amitabh Shukla

New Delhi, March 7

The Congress MLAs and the councilors are having a tough time these days. They are burning midnight oil and working overtime to make arrangements for getting a big crowd at Ramlila Maidan where party President Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would address a rally on Sunday.

“I have been asked to bring 15 buses full of Congress workers for the rally,” said a Congress MLA from Outer Delhi. In fact, all the 47 MLAs have been asked to bring 15 bus load of workers each for the rally. The Congress councilors, however, will have to bring only 7 buses each for the rally. Moreover, each Block Congress President too has been asked to come with at least 5 bus load of workers.

A Minister in the Delhi government said: “This is an election year and we have to go by the dictates of the party, more so when the party president and the Prime Minister are addressing a rally”. He said the party has to give a befitting reply to the BSP rally after gifting a “people friendly” budget.

Vijay Locchav, a two-time MLA from Mahipalpur, claimed that the MLAs merely facilitate the movement of the people who want to see their beloved leaders. “My constituency has farmers and middle class who have befitted from the budget. They will be at the rally venue on their own,” the MLA said.

Some of the MLAs, however, are exception to this rule. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit is not expected to bring any buses for the rally. “She represents an area where government servants live. Moreover, she has overall responsibility of making all arrangements,” said a Delhi Congress leader. DPCC office-bearers said a close watch would be mounted on the number of vehicles each MLA or councilor brings and it would be taken up “seriously” if the direction is not followed.

Apart from “arranging” the crowd, 10 different committees have been formed to supervise the rally and make it a success. Transport Minister Haroon Yusuf is in-charge of the Committee on Transport while Industry Minister Mangat Ram Singhal is in charge of the committee on outside decoration and public seating arrangement. MCD leader J.K. Sharma is in-charge of the water and sanitation committee while PWD minister Raj Kumar Chauhan has the charge of the inside decoration. The committee on Health and first aid is headed by Health Minister Yoganand Shastri. MLA Anil Bhardwaj has the responsibility of tent, mike and the stage.

(2008)

Only 'real VIPs' to get fancy numbers

Amitabh Shukla New Delhi, March 21

You will no longer be able to get a fancy or a VIP number any more. If you want one, you have to get your vehicle registered out of the city. Delhi government’s Transport Department has decided that from now on these numbers would be given only to the government vehicles and that too only to the high ranking officials, ministers and judges of the Supreme Court and the High Court.

“An executive order has been passed to this effect. This simply means that no privately owned vehicle would be able to get numbers like 0001, 0002, 100, 786 etc.” said a senior official of the Transport Department.

Officials said that even the private vehicles of the ministers, judges and senior officials cannot have the fancy numbers. The decision of the government comes after months of indecisiveness on framing a policy to give fancy numbers.

With this, Delhi becomes the only state in the country where only the VIPs would get fancy or VIP numbers. In most of the states, the number is auctioned and the revenue generated goes in the coffers of the respective state governments.

The Delhi Cabinet had discontinued giving fancy numbers in August last year after it was found that land scam accused Ashok Malhotra had one and a half dozen cars with fancy numbers. Till then, the Transport Minister, at the recommendation of elected representatives or other important dignitaries, issued the numbers.

Sources in government said the Transport department toyed with the idea of putting the numbers to auction and also prepared a Cabinet note which fixed the minimum price for each fancy number. The Cabinet did not clear it as it feared offending the VIPs of Delhi who are continuously on the look for a status symbol. “As no solution could be found, we decided to extend this facility only for the government vehicles,” said the source.

Officials pointed out that the government was not ready for any fresh controversy which the fancy numbers generate. “First it was a dealer who imported foreign cars and got VIP numbers which led to a major controversy in the year 2005. Then the Ashok Malhotra episode. From now, the entire mechanism wherein people of dubious background got these numbers is scrapped,” said a senior official.

Khurana set to join BJP

Amitabh Shukla

New Delhi, March 27

Former Delhi Chief Minister Madan Lal Khuarana is set to join the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) anytime now. The central leadership of the party would make the announcement as decks have been cleared for his induction.

The former Delhi “strongman” has won a dozen elections from the Delhi and was the best known face of the saffron party before being expelled for “anti party” activities. He was critical of L.K. Advani and other BJP leaders and hurled one accusation after the other against them.

Delhi BJP sources said that Khurana approached the party for reinduction before the MCD polls in April last year. He was asked to wait for a while. However, Khurana joined Uma Bharti’s party and fielded candidates from over 200 seats. After failing to make a mark, he had political discussions for a possible tie-up with parties ranging from the Congress to the Bahujan Samaj Party.

“He had approached the senior leaders like Advani and party President Rajnath Singh more than six months ago and unconditionally apologized for whatever he had said in the past,” said a senior leader. The BJP central leadership asked for the comments of the Delhi unit of BJP before taking a decision. The Delhi unit too did not object to Khurana’s induction.

Party sources said that in the written apology, Khurana apparently said he would not aspire for any party post and keep away from Delhi politics. “When he took back whatever he had said and did not show any political ambition, we decided to clear his induction,” said the party source.

When contacted, Khuarana refused to comment on the issue. It will be the third time that the former Delhi CM, Union Minister and Rajasthan Governor would be inducted in the party. He was first expelled in August 2005 but taken back in the party after six months. He was again expelled in early 2006 and is still serving the suspension.

(2008)

Ex-ministers swear, and stay away from swearing-in

Amitabh Shukla

New Delhi, December 6

The absence of all the sacked ministers and a large number of Congress MLAs took the sheen off the swearing-in ceremony of the new Delhi Cabinet at Raj Bhavan on Thursday, and gave ample indications of stepped up dissidence targeted at Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, AICC general secretary Kamal Nath and DPCC president Subhash Chopra.

Party sources said that most of the MLAs were asked to stay away from the function by a new group of dissidents, which included the axed ministers. A series of meetings among the dissidents on Wednesday was aimed at ensuring that the function 'flops' and the 'lopsided' reshuffle is exposed before the party president.

The deepening divide between Dikshit and Nath too became evident as the latter too chose to stay away from the function, ostensibly for attending Parliament, despite being in-charge of Delhi affairs. Several MLAs believed to be close to him followed suit. Only those MLAs who belong to the third front decided to attend the function, and that too half-heartedly. Interestingly, two of the sacked ministers and most of the MLAs attended the function to unveil the statue of BR Ambedkar in the Old Secretariat in the afternoon, in which Congress president Sonia Gandhi also participated.

"It has now become clear that neither Dikshit, nor Chopra or Nath are in control of the party affairs," said an MLA, suggesting that changes should also be carried out in the organisation and the national-level leader in charge of Delhi. "From now on, we will seek the redressal of our grievances from the Congress president rather than banking on the troika of Dikshit, Nath and Chopra who all are pulling in different directions to the detriment of the interests of the party," said an MLA who boycotted the swearing-in function.

Sources said that the Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar factions have already become active and are working out their strategy separately in view of the changes. The Tytler faction drew a blank in the reshuffle.

Parvez Hashmi, the ousted Transport Minister, has already hosted several sessions with the dissidents and has the tacit support of Narender Nath, the former Power Minister. Both hold Nath responsible for their removal from the Cabinet. Krishna Tirath, another sacked minister, too is coming close to this group. (2001)