Mumbai underground

Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, who returned from Delhi, did not get a clear go-ahead for Cabinet expansion in Maharashtra. Chavan’s biggest hurdle is Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Manikrao Thakre, who has insisted that he should be adequately consulted while a decision is taken in this regard. Chavan insists that organisational changes in the MPCC should precede the Cabinet expansion, so that he can have his own candidate heading it and dealing with him. Party brass in Delhi have given audience to both Chavan and Thakre and have kept their opinions reserved. Their priority is to set the AICC in order after the elevation of Rahul Gandhi as Congress vice president.

CMO, please ‘note’

Officials in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) are often seen struggling when it comes to preparing a detailed draft on decisions taken in the Cabinet meeting. Ideally, there is a written order by the chief secretary’s office making it mandatory for the IAS secretary to provide the contents in details to the CMO on subjects that were discussed and cleared in the Cabinet meeting. But often, it is seen that officers rarely bother to provide the contents or even respond to the calls from the CMO. Eventually, the task of preparing the note on government decisions that has to be circulated to the media is left to the CMO.

con called off

From share bazaar swindlers to road side beggars who fake being handicapped, con artists come in all forms in Mumbai. In a packed suburban train

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