Missing in action

As Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna drew flak for the failure of his government to react to the national calamity in his state readily and effectively, the Congress had no other option but to put the spotlight on Congress President Sonia Gandhi. The party let it be known that she was "personally" monitoring the situation and touring the affected areas along with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The "absence" of Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, while Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi parked himself in Uttarakhand and was even planning a visit to Kedarnath, saw the Centre coming in for further criticism. The response, however, was tepid: "The Congress president herself is taking stock of the situation."