On the guest list?

Getting invited for the Congress’ brainstorming session ‘chintan shivir’ in Jaipur appears to be quite an exclusive affair. Only 300-odd people have made the cut. While the Congress Working Committee (CWC) members have been sent invites, as have the permanent invitees such as Finance Minister P Chidambaram, the special invitees have been left out. This gave rise to a piquant situation. Former external affairs minister S M Krishna (a special invitee) had been made in-charge of a sub-group at the ‘chintan shivir’ deliberating on “India and the world (foreign policy)” but, according to the guest list, he could not have been present at the shivir. Realising this anomaly, with just a week to go for this all-important event, Krishna was appointed as a permanent invitee of the CWC. Incidentally, Krishna is also the Congress’ seniormost leader in Karnataka, which goes to polls later this year.