Jinxed!!!

This would sound directly from a believe it or not type stories. but its real....

seems Prez Pratibha Patil's visit to Guj is jinxed..there is already a controversy on the Sardar Patel Smarak Program.

Now here's more: ALL THREE officials who as part of protocol have to be with the Prez are down

As per a rule, ACS handling GAD, deputy secretary GAD and Collector of the specific area have to remain present when the Prez is around. Because Prez Patil is putting up at the Rajbhavan in Gandhianagar, besides ACS and Deputy sec GAD(protocal), Gandhinagar Collector too has to be on duty.

Now look at the events that unfolded:

Gandhinagar Collector Sanjeev Kumar took ill and had to be hospitalised. He is fine and out of danger but cannot work for a couple of days.

Deputry Secretary of GAD in charge of Protocol Y N Barot, had a fall following low BP and injured himself too. He is on leave and charge has been given to someone else now.

And ACS GAD Mr A K Joti was on his way to th CM's residence when he met with an accident.

In short, all three who were the "must be there" according to protocol for the Prez's visit are down.

What a jinx. Sounds quite unbelievable aint it?

Here is an addition: After Mr Joti met with an accident while on his way to the CM's residence, he was injured. He however went ahead and attended the meeting with all the pain clearly writ on his face. Grapevine informs us that Mr Joti tried to keep up a real good show at the meeting despite his injuries. His injuries were fractures. Now, a little birdie tells us that was it just commitment that made Mr Joti attend the meeting after the accident or was it an effort to impress upon the CM. Mr Joti also is in the race to be Gujarat's next Chief Secretary...

Congress Culture.

The Congress seems to be real democratic party.

Everyone in the party is bothered about their own rating and performance. The race within the Congress is not to outsmart the main opposition, the BJP, but to outsmart each other.

Arjun Modhvadia held a press conference. He chose a hotel instead of the Congress office. Nobody in the Congress heirarchy knew about his press conference.

Similarly Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde is going to be here for a power plant program. He is going to interact with the media. A number of people in the BJP knew about it but all senior Congress leaders were in the dark....

Is this de-centralisation of power, utter Congress chaos or internal democracy?

"Safeguarding" Sardar Smarak

After Gujarat Cricket Association, is Modi and his men eyeing the Sardar Patel Smarak?

Union Minister and Congress leader Dinsha Patel heads this smarak which recently is in controversy...President Patil is visiting a Smarak function. The invitation cards have no mention of Modi and acc to reports which we have all read, Modi's men were pressing Dinsha and Karsanbhai Patel of Nirma to ensure that Modi is made a special guest. After that, the Modi men reportedly wanted the CM's name in the card.

Now, if Dinsha has already agreed that Modi will be there as a special guest and even give a speech, what was the hassle in not getting new invitation cards with the Chief Minister's name on it? Anyways, now after the fight on how Modi cannot sit next to President Patil because on one side there would be Gov Zamir and Dinsha on the other side.... the talk is that after a great victory and "liberation" of Gujarat Cricket Association from the Congress, Modi and his men are eyeing the Sardar Smarak Trust.

Suddenly Sardar Patel is so much in, thanks to Advani, Jashwant Singh and the BJP. The Sardar Smarak Trust which hitherto was one of the most neglected Trust/Organisaiton is suddenly in "demand". The Congress has been "controlling it" but there are people who have heard Dinsha talk recently of how he knows that Modi is eye-ing it now . So Dinsha is now safe guarding it vigorously.

grapevine aka gossip

is that Vilasini Ramchandran, currently additional secretary expenditure in the Ministry of Finance, New Delhi is being coaxed by the Gujarat Govt to come back to Gujarat.

As the next Chief Secretary....

The present CS D Rajgopalan retires in Dec 2009. The State govt had managed to get his tenure extended by five months. They also are keeping fingers crossed for a change in rule where super annuation age is made to 62 years and post of CS are given a mandatory tenure post of two years.

However, in case this doesnt work out, Vilasini could be a good bet.

what say?

P K Pujari for Central Deputation

Name of Commssioner of Commercial tax, 1981 batch IAS P K Pujari's name has been recommended by the State Government in Gujarat for Central Deputation.

Amarjit Singh Delhi Bound

Health Commissioner Amarjit Singh has been posted Exeuctive Director, Population Stablisation Fund, Ministry of Health New Delhi. He reportedly did not get on well with Health Minister Jainarayan Vyas or Health Secretary Ravi Saxena.

transfer

grapevine says Mr Sanjay Nandan has been or is soon going tob e transferred as member secretary GERC.(gujarat electricity regulalatory commission)

Agony Aunt counsels BJP

Agony Aunt counsels BJP

help!

a lot of people have been writing in and asking that I forward the blog. Im not that tech savvy and the settings dont permit me that. So i request you to forward the link

grapevinegujarat.blogspot.com to all on your contact list. Ofcourse, only to those who are interested or could get interested in this sort of :news blogging:

And I intend to become more regular in updating it):

I need help here in as well.

Do get in touch if there is anyone who can help me with regular updates.

cheers.

d Facto

d FACTO

Narendra Modi is the Gujarat Cricket Association President.

Modi finds new field to PLAY his GAMES.

and this time it is cricket.

Sources claim that after the spectatcular win in the by elections, we should not be surprised if the next Gujarat Cricket Association president is Mr Narendra Modi.

From CEO of Gujarat to Cricket, Mr Modi is in a great mood for fielding and his lieutant Amit Shah who has manoevuered, quite deftly wants his Boss to take over.

However this is unconfirmed bit of news but from a highly placed source. Lets wait for a few hours to find out the truth....

As such politics and cricket have become synonym in Indian politics isnt it from Sharad Pawar to Laloo Prasad Yadav....

Modi Magic Sweeps Gujarat.

please click on http://www.asianage.com/presentation/leftnavigation/news/top-story/bjp-wrests-5-bypoll-seats.aspx

Modi is Gujarat. Gujarat is Modi.

This is what the results of the by elections will reveal.
Tonight, we have had a small informal bet. The stakes are high...
BJP will walk away with atleast 4 to 5 seats. Congress will be left exchanging consolations with 2 or maximum 3 seats. This is my "feeling" compounded by an intutitive analysis backed by the way the Congress has been handling the elections. My dear friend is confident that the Congress will get five seats.
Th BJP will have an upper edge because of the seven seats, it only has ONE. Kodniar which is likely to wrestled by the COngress because of good candidate selection. But then while Congress has been busy focussing on Kodinar, BJP will walk away with other Congress seats.

And yes, just like all discredit has gone to Mr Modi in the recent past for everything from Ishrat Jaha to Jinnah , the credit should all go to Mr Modi.
Dont be surprised if you dont see any Congressis anywhere or maybe they will be there now claiming how Mr Modi "misused" govt machinery.
Nothing matters. Whether lead goes up or down, percentage of votes wavers. What matters is that Modi will be (re) instated as the indisputable leader that Gujarat wants/has.