‘Preoccupied' Makan gives Games closing event a miss

RANCHI | Sunday, February 27, 2011

VIJAY DEO JHA | RANCHI

What Union Sports Minister Ajay Maken took 20 minutes to say to Chief Minister Arjun Munda for skipping the 34th National Games closing ceremony, he could have said in a single word: Suresh Kalmadi!

Maken wasn't being Sports Minister; he was ministering the political fortunes of his party and government, under constant threat from the likes of Kalmadi for their involvement in the Commonwealth Games scam.

Sources in the CMO revealed that Munda personally spoke to Maken over telephone and persuaded him to attend the closing ceremony. But Maken is reported to have explained to Munda his preoccupation with the ongoing Parliament session.

However, well-placed sources in the Congress said that the presence of any Union Congress minister in the closing ceremony - except Union Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahai, since he represents Ranchi, was quite unlikely due to the presence of IOA president Suresh Kalmadi, currently facing probe for his alleged involvement in the Commonwealth Games scam.

From the opening day of the Games, Kalmadi has been stationed in Jharkhand to supervise the Games that concluded on late Saturday evening after a colourful show.

Though it is customary for the Prime Minister and the President of the country to attend the opening and closing ceremony of the National Games, none turned up for Jharkhand.

Maken clarified to the electronic media that he was unable to attend the closing ceremony due to the ongoing parliamentary session, while denying reports that he did not want to share the dais with Kalamdi.

With the investigative agencies closing in on Kalmadi and, the chances of his arrest imminent; the Congress is keeping a safe distance from him.

The growing view in the Congress circle is that Kalmadi has become a liability for the party before and after the Commonwealth Games. The party has also not taken kindly to his recent attack on the Congress-led government in New Delhi for the mess in the Commonwealth Games.

"People like Kalmadi have made a dent on the fair image of the Government and the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Now, he is openly waging war against the party. Nobody wants to be associated with him, even to share a platform with him, especially Maken," a senior party official said.