Delhi: Congress President Sonia Gandhi's Additional Private Secretary S.V. Pillai and Officer on Special Duty P.P. Madhavan are at war. The two are using her appointments list to settle scores. Recently, a senior MP, who got his appointment fixed through Pillai, was turned away by security at 10 Janpath. Next day, he tried Madhavan but met a similar fate. Miffed, he left for his constituency.

All Eyes on the Coup Brigade

Delhi: The Rawalpindi-based 111 Brigade is called Pakistan's Coup Brigade. Military dictators, including Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf, have taken the help of this brigade to stage a coup and secure Islamabad first and then Pakistan. So the movement of this brigade is watched with much interest. Latest intelligence reports suggest that two battalions (belonging to the Punjab Regiment) have been asked to move to Kotli in PoK as part of the Pakistani build-up on the loc. But rumours are rife that the brigade has been posted out as Musharraf will be leaving for the US on February 13. Musharraf is indeed playing safe.

Unholy Analogy

Chennai: MDMK leader Vaiko's much flaunted show of support for the LTTE seems to be going a bit too far. At a function in Chennai last week, Vaiko made a pointed reference to John Hume, the architect of the North Ireland peace treaty and recipient of the 2001 Gandhi Peace Prize. "If those who schemed the assassination of Lord Mountbatten and made a bid at Margaret Thatcher's life could be given the award, why not the leaders of Tamil Eelam?" he asked. Wonder what the powers that be at the Centre make of this analogy.

Junior Vajpayee?

Ahmedabad: It is strange that the country's only full-fledged BJP Government in Gujarat headed by Narendra Modi is doing precious little to cleanse the madarsas of jehadi elements. Especially when fundamentalists seem to be gaining clout in madarsas in the border districts of Kutch-Banaskantha as well as in north and south Gujarat. A fact underlined by VHP leader Pravin Togadia last week. No wonder Modi has earned the epithet "Junior Vajpayee" because of his soft approach.