Regional journal: Nitish oath a well-guarded event

Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar’s oath-taking as Rajya Sabha MP on April 10 was a carefully crafted event. No media was permitted anywhere around the Bihar CM or inside the new Parliament building during the ceremony. Inside the Vice-President’s chamber where the oath took place, five Union Ministers — Nirmala Sitharaman, JP Nadda, Rajeev Ranjan Singh, Arjun Meghwal and Ram Nath Thakur — and Congress leader Jairam Ramesh were in attendance.

Delhi L-G adds Punjab flavour

Ever since Delhi’s new Lieutenant-Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu assumed office, his Punjabi hospitality has been much in focus. After a grand oath-taking, dotted by the highest-ever guest list at any L-G’s swearing-in ever, the Amritsar-born L-G has brought more Punjab flavour to Delhi on Sunday by hosting a Baisakhi musical festival at the sprawling Mehrauli Archaeological Park.

‘Kikli’ combat ahead of poll fight

During the 2017 and 2022 Punjab Assembly elections, AAP’s Bhagwant Mann used different versions of his trademark satirical ‘kikli’ to target SAD chief Sukhbir Badal. So, it was no surprise when Chief Minister Mann recently came up with the third version of his ‘kikli’ targeting Badal and Akali leader Bikram Majithia. This time, however, Mann faced personal ‘kikli’ jibes from scores of Akalis, including Tarn Taran’s Kanchanpreet Kaur. Pundits believe ‘kiklis’ are sure to keep Punjabis amused in the run-up to the 2027 poll.

Navjot Kaur’s Rahul dilemma

Days after dubbing Rahul Gandhi ‘Pappu’, expelled Congress leader Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu struck a softer note, admitting that the former party president is a “good man”, and that she still regards Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as her sister. Yet, in the same breath, the former MLA quipped she would continue calling Rahul ‘Pappu’ for his unwillingness to accept the “honest feedback” on Punjab Congress leaders. Interestingly, her husband and cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu has so far steered clear of targeting the Gandhis.

Haryana IAS officers on edge

The suspension of two Haryana IAS officers in the IDFC bank scam has sparked a storm in the state’s bureaucracy. Questions are being raised over why HCS-promoted IAS officers were punished, while directly recruited IAS officers--some of whom earlier headed the departments where the scam took place — were merely transferred. At least four IAS officers were stripped of key departments in a reshuffle on April 8. While CM Nayab Saini termed the transfers “routine”, the bureaucrats continue to be on tenterhooks.

Doctor ‘walks’ the talk

While the government is busy “improving” health services in Punjab, a government doctor posted at Model Town in Patiala is focusing on “her own health over patients’”. This woman doctor reportedly goes on a leisure walk every few hours during duty, leaving patients waiting. A patient waiting for the doctor was told by a nursing staff member that “ma’am is so well-connected that her walks have continued for long without any obstruction”.

Contributed by Aditi Tandon, Ruchika M Khanna, Rajmeet Singh, Bhartesh Singh Thakur & Aman Sood