DMK, which has a near-monopoly on TV channels in Tamil Nadu, is known to put pressure on the Centre not to issue licences to others. (Jaya TV received clearance when AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa was an ally of the Vajpayee government at the Centre.) For over two years, the I&B Ministry ignored the application of actor-turned-politician Vijaykant for setting up Captain TV channel. But recently, the ministry cleared 20 long-pending applications, including that of Vijaykant’s media group. Congress has decided to extend a hand of friendship to Vijaykant, a growing political force in the state, even if that means alienating the DMK.

Contingency plan

Though Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi had ordered that his extended family patch up, his son M.K. Azhagiri has not given up his grudge match against the Marans. He instructed a dozen DMK MPs in Delhi not to speak to his cousin, Textile Minister Dayanidhi Maran. Maran seems to have thought of a contingency plan for his political future in a post-Karunanidhi scenario. Maran’s powerful media group has given extensive coverage to Vijaykant’s visit to Delhi. Vijaykant, however, insists there is no truth in the rumours that Maran and he have struck up a friendship.

Rendered redundant

Sports Minister M.S. Gill has almost no role to play in the preparations for the Commonwealth Games next October. Chairperson of the Games organising committee, Suresh Kalmadi, has made sure that he reports only to the Prime Minister and handles all game-related events. Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has appointed former chief secretary R. Narainswami as the all-powerful adviser responsible for ensuring the infrastructure and venues are completed on schedule. So, the Ministry’s main job is simply to advance the money for the Games from the Finance Ministry to the concerned departments. In fact, the director general of the Sports Authority of India, S. Chatterjee, who was appointed by Gill, finds himself at such a loose end that he has gone on holiday to the Andaman Islands.

... contd.