True Lies

From house attack to FB backlashAs AAP took on Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira in the Punjab assembly over a controversial social media post, Nakodar MLA Inderjeet Kaur Mann emerged as one of the ruling party's most vocal voices, taking sharp digs at Khaira both inside and outside the House. The sparring soon spilled onto social media. Mann's Facebook page was flooded with critical and often harsh comments from Punjabi netizens, many objecting to her attacks on Khaira. As the barrage grew, she tweaked the page settings, first limiting who could comment and later allowing only those who had followed her page for more than 24 hours to post responses. The move, however, invited fresh digs online, with users accusing her of trying to "manage" the comment section. Mann was not alone in facing the backlash. Several AAP MLAs, including women legislators, also found their posts drawing a wave of critical reactions.Henry uses soft skills to score oneCongress MLA Bawa Henry quietly scored a debating point during the controversy over Khaira's social media post and chief minister Bhagwant Mann's International Women's Day remarks that drew criticism from the opposition. Speaking to two AAP women MLAs, Henry asked whether they would be comfortable if an expression used by the CM was directed at their daughters. Amritsar East MLA Jeevan Jyot Kaur replied that "two wrongs cannot make a right", inadvertently conceding that the CM's comment could also be viewed as inappropriate. Realising the exchange could put the ruling party in an awkward spot, Nakodar MLA Inderjeet Kaur Mann quickly stepped in and asked Henry to move on.Stage secretary's favourite word: LangarAt the BJP's ‘Badlav' rally in Moga, the buzzword from the stage appeared to be "langar". A Punjab BJP leader anchoring the proceedings repeatedly reminded workers about the community kitchen. Almost every time he took the microphone after a speech, he urged people outside the pandal to come in, assuring them that langar arrangements were plentiful and would continue even after the rally. However, there was one exception — he instructed organisers to halt the langar service briefly during Union home minister Amit Shah's address. The repeated announcements drew amused reactions. One worker was heard remarking that people had come not just for langar but also to hear the speeches — something the stage secretary seemed to overlook.Speaker in the firing linePunjab assembly speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan remained in the firing line of the opposition Congress during the ongoing budget session. Claiming they were struggling to find space for their voice in the House, Congress leaders, including Pargat Singh, accused the speaker of adopting a partisan approach. "The opposition is neither being allowed to speak, nor are the letters written by us being answered. Even resolutions submitted by the opposition are not being allowed to be presented in the House," Pargat said.Amritsar's ‘Holy City' file gathers dustA notification ordering the relocation of liquor, meat and tobacco shops from Amritsar's Old City to reinforce its "Holy City" status has been gathering dust for nearly three months. For the AAP govt that proudly announced the declaration, the delay has raised eyebrows. The sanctity appears to thrive on paper while practicality bows to political arithmetic. Insiders wonder whether the file is stuck in bureaucratic traffic or quietly parked to avoid upsetting a sensitive vote bank. Announcing such measures may be easy; enforcing them is often far more inconvenient. Until the orders reach implementing authorities, the declaration risks sounding more like a well-worded press release.Twinning tees, triple talkWhen the Congress high command packed off 31 Haryana MLAs to Kufri near Shimla to prevent possible horse-trading, a curious wardrobe coincidence caught attention. Five legislators were seen sporting identical T-shirts bearing the number "3". While coordinated colours are common in political camps, the numeral triggered speculation. Satish Nandal, who has filed his nomination as an independent candidate, is widely believed to be the third contender in the fray and could appear at number three on the ballot. With Nandal reportedly banking on cross-voting by Congress MLAs, the matching tees added fuel to the rumour mill. Congress leaders, however, dismissed the chatter, with leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda insisting all 37 MLAs would vote along party lines.Third-front talk, but question remainsWhispers of a third front ahead of the next assembly elections are again circulating in Himachal Pradesh. A few former MLAs and aspirants have been holding meetings, but the key question remains: who among them has the political heft and resources to lead such an experiment? Most have already faced electoral setbacks, and political comebacks rarely come easy. At best, they might dent the BJP marginally, as Congress votes shifting their way appears unlikely. Past attempts at building a third alternative have failed. Unless a credible leadership or organisational backing emerges, the idea may remain more discussion than decisive politics.(Contributed by IP Singh, Neel Kamal, Vinod Kumar, Yudhvir Rana, Manveer Saini, Sanjeev Verma)