Touch wood, pitrupaksha is over

Our politicians may be tech-savvy enough to use laptops and powerpoint presentations or tweet on their cellphones, but when it comes to superstitions, they can be as tradition-bound as anyone else, writes Shailesh Gaikwad.

Our politicians may be tech-savvy enough to use laptops and powerpoint presentations or tweet on their cellphones, but when it comes to superstitions, they can be as tradition-bound as anyone else. Case in point: no major party has released their list of candidates because the fortnight of pitrupaksha, when devout Hindus offer remembrance and pujas for their ancestors, is considered inauspicious for starting anything new. The fortnight ends on Friday. So, from Saturday, expect all parties to start announcing their alliances, candidates and vision documents.
PS: Should we be at all surprised that a bill providing for tough legal action against those spreading superstitions has not been cleared by our politicians yet?

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Who needs an austerity drive?
The babus of Mantralaya are enjoying a breather these days with most of our ministers away, planning their election strategies. Since the election code of conduct (that kicked in on August 31) bans the use of official facilities for political or personal purposes, all is quiet on the Mantralaya front.
And, as its officers point out, who needs an austerity drive when you have this code of conduct? First off, the government is saving lakhs of rupees as all those 'important' tours all over the state, country and the world at large have come to a grinding halt. Worse (for them, that is), they can't call frequent meetings in their offices or bungalows, where innumerable cups of tea and snacks are served. With so much of taxpayers’ money saved, we wonder: is there any way to retain the code of conduct the year round?

Wilted flowers
Poor Ramdas Kadam. First, he lost his assembly constituency after the delimitation. So his party, the Shiv Sena, pressurised the BJP to part with the neighbouring Guhagar constituency for him.
On Thursday, as news of an unwilling BJP giving up Guhagar spread, an overjoyed Kadam rushed to Matoshree with a big bunch of flowers.
But even as he was returning home, he was given the breaking news: the BJP had not accepted the Sena's demand. Last heard, Kadam has resolved not to buy any more flowers.