Two pet ideas of UPA 2 - NCTC and Natgrid – are yet to take off. Home minister P Chidambaram has been vigorously trying to complete the formalities to establish these two counterterrorism centres. Insiders in North Block say these two projects have been shelved due to financial problems. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee too is said to be opposed to the idea and top bureaucrats are not cooperating either. So, instead of formally announcing that the plan has been dropped, the government has said the Natgrid chief executive officer will not get extension.

Pillai out of race
Home secretary GK Pillai has withdrawn his name from the race for the post of CVC. He has written to the DoPT to this effect.

What about Baba Ramdev?
The centre is concerned about the law and order situation if Baba Ramdev, as announced, launches his anti-corruption demonstration from Ram Lila Grounds on June 4. Delhi Police may not give him permission to hold the rally. This is the lesson the government seems to have learnt after Anna Hazare’s fast.

Congress dilemma in Andhra Pradesh
Sonia Gandhi discussed political approaches in Andhra Pradesh with chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy recently. But nothing is said to be moving fast. Discussion went on for 45 minutes. Three points emerged for implementation, but the matter got stuck as AICC drew cold feet.

Alagiri’s request
Minister of chemicals Alagiri wrote to PM seeking a Tamil Nadu cadre IAS officer as secretary to the department of chemicals to succeed M Raman who retired last month. It is now three weeks but PMO and the cabinet secretariat have not granted his wish. Instead, the cabinet secretariat sent a list of 10 names to Alagiri in which only two are Tamil speaking officers but they are junior. Quietly Alagiri rejected all the other eight names.

Prabhakaran’s death certificate
CBI court inquiring the conspiratorial angle of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination is not closing the case, since Sri Lanka is not providing the death certificate of LTTE leader V Prabhakaran. The Indian Law needs a closure of the case if there is a death certificate.