Jun 6, 2008

IPL in Bhopal

There was an Indian Petrol League (IPL) match played today, by the BJP team at Bhopal under the captaincy of Shivraj Singh Chauhan. However, the players were caught low on match fitness as reported:
Bhopale IPLSources said at around 2pm, Chauhan contacted his cabinet and asked all ministers in Bhopal to reach his official residence — 6 Shyamla Hills — in half-an-hour. When they arrived, the ministers found bicycles waiting for them. Briefed about the rally, at first the ministers were excited. After a brief practice session, they were to ride to the secretariat. Agriculture minister Gopal Bhargav and home minister Himmat Kothari rode up and down the garden at the CM's house to ensue they did not falter later.
Captain Shivraj Singh said during the pre-match (the unusually far sighted captain could see that he would not be able to speak after the match) press conference:
"... The Centre is asking states to reduce sales taxes, but we have little resources. The Centre has all the money. If the UPA-government wanted, they could have found ways to avoid this oil price hike. We will continue our protest till there is a roll-back in the hike. Or else they should quit." (However by evening, a 11% hike in Dearness Allowance for the state government employees – the BJP vote bank – was announced, in spite of the “little resources”)
Within minutes of start water resources minister Anup Mishra was seen being pushed on his bicycle by his security guards. He abandoned the endeavor soon and took a ride in his official car till the secretariat where he shifted to bicycle again. Panchayat and rural development minister Rustom Singh got off his bicycle and complained (No not about lack of cheer girls, stupid): "What will be the outcome of this? Nothing will come out of us riding bicycles." He started walking with his cycle.
Other ministers were pushed up by their security personnel. Food minister Akhand Pratap Singh fell twice from his bicycle, once near the CM house and again near the Radio station. The bicycles provided by BJP's youth wing did not have efficient brakes. Riding down, the ministers did not know how to control their speeding cycles and shouted: "Hat jao, hat jao. Cycle aa raha hai (Move out of the way. Bicycle is coming)". The foreign hand/conspiracy angle is being investigated in this incident. After the rally the cycles were loaded on a truck and returned the shop at Ibrahimpura. Some Bhopalis were heard saying that the circus in Bhopal usually arrives late after the monsoons, but due to the scheduled general elections, the shows were preponed this year.
On the other hand, the Kolkata team has been able to stump the foreign recruits in their IPL match.

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