Have you ever called in sick so you could attend a concert or party? Well, it seems like our political leaders are not above playing truant either. NCP leader Dhananjay Munde raised eyebrows when he skipped Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s recent Beed tour citing health issues but ended up attending a fashion show in Mumbai instead. “I was supposed to be there for the Deputy CM’s visit. However, as my health remains unstable, I had to come to Mumbai for treatment,” Munde wrote. But his excuse didn’t cut ice with social media users, who saw videos of him attending the show.Journos shunted out of state secretariat now?Gone are the good, old days when a scribe working on a story could enter the Mantralaya, the administrative headquarters of the state government, by showing their ID card. Now, only the individuals authorised to enter the Mantralaya by the state’s Chief Secretary and Home Department for a specific purpose can gain entry into the premises. The move comes as a big blow to journalists who need access to the secretariat to effectively cover the relevant beat. On top of that, a circular was recently issued that laid down that journalists could visit the Mantralaya only after 2 pm. Luckily, it was withdrawn later.Congress dist chiefs to now have a say in decisionsThe Congress party recently called a meeting of its Maharashtra district presidents in Delhi. In the meeting, the district chiefs were told that they would be regularly consulted with for state-level decisions. This reportedly marks a departure from the norm. For long, the district bosses never had any say in key party decisions. The Congress high command has decided to involve these local party heads in important decisions because it sees them as the pillars of party structure. The Congress leadership believes taking into account their views and suggestions can help revive the party and boost the confidence of the workers as well.Sudhir SuryawanshiOur correspondent in Maharashtrasuryawanshi.sudhir@gmail.com
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