Great Victory!

No, I'm not talking about the fact that some sense finally came into the heads of Pakistani groundsmen, but the dramatic and sudden removal of Mani Shankar Aiyar from the Petroleum Ministry. This means that ONGC CMD Subir Raha, who is generally considered by most people to be the most efficient PSU chief (and a terror by those who work under him) has won a great victory. Raha who went on record once questioning the need for a ministry, obviously has better friends in higher places than Aiyar, or maybe the now former ministers frequent foreign jaunts might have irked people. There possibly is more to the removal and maybe I have a few ideas why (which I can't write about here), but because our media will bend over and let itself be butt-f***** by the current government we won't get to hear any of it.
Of course, if Murli Deora gets appointed as Petroleum Minister, there might well be a shift of news reportage on oil and natural gas from Shastri Bhawan to Churchgate. But will it also mean that will be subjected to Milind/Mukund Deora playing music whenever the ministry hosts a party? Scary thought! But on Raha's great victory, I heartily congratulate him, it feels nice when a Bong gives it back in equal measure. I doubt Aiyar will be able to garner much media attention now, but if he seriously works towards ensuring that India can win more than one medal at the Olympics and more importantly, feature in the top three in the 2010 Commonwealth Games, it would be a job well done. Not that the media will care. Thank god!
Another, but not so surprising removal, was that of Renuka Choudhary from the Tourism portfolio. Despite being mired in controversy at the beginning of her term in a matter concerning Johnnie Walker Black Label and Duty-Free shops, she has been resposible for introducing a very good advertising campaign for Indian Tourism. I think the Incredible India adverts are far better than the adverts of most countries other than New Zealand, OK thats because I've always wanted to go to New Zealand, but Incredible India even has a very good website. Of course, with a Gandhi-family loyalist taking over, I'm sure places like 'Shakti Sthal' on the banks of the Yamuna, 10 Janpath and other assorted Gandhi-family treasures will be promoted.
Oh well, lets see what happens. I'm heading back to Bombay today after almost three weeks in Delhi. Well, at least it will be warmer there.
EDIT : I can go through my visitor stats and I do so with alarming frequency (I don't have a life), and I was curious, who hates my blog so that they made it endure this? And, love 'em or hate 'em, Americans will be Americans. And this is nice! And in Tokyo you can find a Star Wars StormTrooper in your train - and he is British!?! And how I missed this blog earlier is surprising, but I love it. And America's 50 most loathsome people, hmmm, I wonder if we could ever come up with a listing like that in India.