Cong’s soap opera: Kissa kursi ka,TV appearance ka

Akhilesh Pratap has appeared in a programme of a TV news channel. The spokespersons — there are seven of them — see this as an attempt to curb them. The bickering had begun a few weeks ago. Last week,the spokespersons were told not to speak to the media without first obtaining permission of chief spokesperson Subodh Srivastava or media cell in-charge Ram Kumar Bhargav. A few days ago,it degenerated into a fight for space in the media cell at the state headquarters.

A solution was finally found by putting up stickers on desks and chairs meant for the chief spokesperson and the media cell in-charge. The spokespersons were asked to sit in chairs meant for visitors and this did not sit well on them. Srivastava denied that there was any fight in the media cell,but admitted that the new arrangement may have offended some people.

“Some guidelines have been set to ensure that there is unanimity in the statements made by the party,” said Srivastava. “It is the need of the hour before the elections. Some people might feel offended,but it has been done for the sake of the party. We hope that they will understand.”

As for the warning issued to Akhilesh Pratap,he said: “It is an internal party matter. All I can say is that,officially,senior party leader Ranjit Singh Judeo was supposed to be in that place.” Akhilesh Pratap,however,said he did not go to the programme on his own. “I was invited by the channel,therefore I went there. The rest is on the party to decide”.