PUNJAB AAP MEDIA CELL GETS HYPERACTIVE
Punjab Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was grappling with internal bickering for a long time, but it has switched gears ahead of the parliamentary polls to try and occupy some mind space. Its media cell, which remained virtually dormant for many months after its below-par performance in the 2017 assembly elections, has suddenly become hyperactive. They are inundating reporters with press notes in Punjabi, Hindi and English quickly everyday immediately after party leaders, including MLAS, address press conferences or take up public issues, following up with phone calls. Not a day passes when the party’s media cell, manned by former journalists, does not issue at least 3-4 press releases. The effort is already showing results with the party getting more media space. Only time would tell if it has also got mind space.
the budget session as INLD members were seen gleefully chatting with some BJP MLAS from time to time. During one of the recesses last week, an INLD MLA asked a senior member of the BJP of his views on INLD supremo Om Prakash Chautala’s recent remark that the INLD could have a truck with the BJP. “But why do you think the BJP would or should agree,” pat came the reply from the ruling party leader.
learnt no lesson from the backlash over the proposals to rename Shimla.
This time, it is the chief minister who has triggered a controversy by talking about renaming
Mandi. “Whenever we mention Mandi, people outside the state think of other mandi (Market),” he said, proposing that the name could be changed to Mandvya (after Sage Mandvya who believed to have lived here). The opposition Congress does not seem impressed and has advised the CM to focus on improving facilities in the town instead of changing its name.