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The atmosphere in the PM’s aircraft was distinctly subdued as it winged its way to Africa two days after the dramatic public climbdown on the nuclear deal. Usually, there’s a lot of bonhomie on these foreign trips as PMO aides circulate informally with the accompanying media party. This time, they stayed hidden in their first class cabin and only the PM’s media advisor, Sanjaya Baru, ran the gauntlet of eager correspondents sniffing for tidbits about Manmohan Singh’s mood. Not even the garrulous ministers traveling with the PM, Anand Sharma and Subbirami Reddy, made an appearance. It was only on the return journey, after four days of rumours about his resignation and a stock market crash, that Singh held the customary press conference. From all accounts, he had recovered his good humour by then. He cracked jokes, quoted from the Gita and made a spirited attack on Advani and the BJP. It looks like the PM has decided to act on his own advice to live with certain disappointments and move on.

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While the PM struggled with his churning emotions on the long flight, Pranab Mukherjee beat a hasty retreat from Ground Zero to his village in West Bengal for Durga Puja. Although he was in charge of the government in the PM’s absence, Mukherjee made it clear that nothing can keep a Bengali away from his Puja. The compromise was that an army helicopter and an Air Force Embraer plane would be kept on standby at Panagarh air base, about 60 kilometres from his native Mirati village, to fly him back to the Capital in an emergency.

Mukherjee takes his Puja very seriously. Last year, he was quite upset because he had to skip the first day of the Puja for the United Nations general assembly meet. This year, he was determined to reach home on time so that he could perform in full the elaborate ceremonies he’s been doing for years.

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The third most senior member of the government, defence minister AK Antony, was also away from the Capital during the same period. Antony was in Moscow, battling the Russian chill, literally and figuratively. Both he and Mukherjee before him, were cold shouldered by Russian President Vladimir Putin in an open expression of disapproval of India’s growing proximity to the US. Neither of the two Indian ministers succeeded in meeting Putin, who has unhesitatingly received senior members of the Indian government in his Kremlin office in the past.

Antony had gone loaded with gifts for the Russian leader and his entourage in the expectation of a call-on. It didn’t materialize and the disappointed minister had to fly back with most of the 80 odd presents he had taken. The closest he got to the Kremlin was to place a wreath on the tomb of the unknown soldier, which is located outside its walls. Antony made a sartorial statement on that occasion that became the talk of the town. Although he was bundled up in a dark suit, overcoat and muffler, he chose to wear a white fur cap. The Russians flipped for the striking contrast.

TAILPIECE
Subbirami Reddy couldn’t hide his restlessness at the signing ceremony in Pretoria after the IBSA (India-Brazil-South Africa) Summit. He watched with increasing impatience as colleague Anand Sharma took centrestage to sign the dozen odd trilateral agreements in his capacity as minister of state for external affairs. After some time, Reddy was overheard offering to take over. Sharma’s hand must be hurting after so many signatures, he explained solicitously.

Email: a_jerath@dnaindia.net