Pre-Truth — snappy, witty and significant snippets from the world of politics and government.
There’s a power shift in the PMO
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had structured his office — the PMO — with a shrewd division of powers. At the top are, of course, the two senior officers — Nripendra Misra and P.K Mishra. While the former handled most major decisions and issues, the most sensitive of all — appointments — remained with the latter. Mishra is a Gujarat cadre officer, the prime minister knows him well and trusts him too. But there’s been a shift in this subtle balance of power. It does seem that at least two major appointments — revenue secretary and Enforcement Directorate chief — came from Misra’s office. BJP president Amit Shah, who took a keen interest in these appointments, was also part of the consultations on the choice of the new RBI governor.
Also read: Rahul Gandhi bonds with Jyotiraditya over Chinese meal, after picking Kamal Nath for MP CM
One governor, two CMs
Administering oath to chief ministers and the cabinet is largely a routine affair for governors. Very few, however, swear-in two CMs in one day, which is what makes Anandiben Patel a unique case. Patel, who has been the Governor of Madhya Pradesh since January, also got Chhattisgarh as additional charge in August. Both these states went to polls in the recent round of elections where the Congress won, and the CMs in both states were sworn in Monday. Patel, a senior BJP leader and a former Gujarat CM, thus ended up administering oath to both Congress dispensations on a single day.
Dosas and butter chicken masala as India’s soft power
Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu is known for his witty remarks that have the ability to make even boring subjects entertaining. This came to the fore at an event organised by India Foundation and the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library on the importance of being a soft power. Expanding the arena for India, Naidu said: “Cuisines too can play a part in making country soft power. The popularity of dosas and butter chicken masala is our power whereas McDonald’s can be considered America’s soft power.” As many in the audience burst into laughter, many foreigners nodded to Naidu’s reference of the Indian dishes and their crucial place in diplomatic ties.