NEWS

Invisible hand behind CWG success: Not Dikshit's

By Sheela Bhatt
October 05, 2010

Many senior Congressmen in New Delhi are irritated at Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit taking the credit exclusively for cleaning up the Commonwealth Games Village in four days.

Many Congress leaders think it's absolutely unbecoming on her part to claim credit for the turnaround.

In a television interview a day before the Games's opening, Dikshit had said, "Sixty per cent of the village was unlivable when it was handed over to us... We made the village first rate, all in one week.'

However, the fact is that there was a hidden hand behind the "turnaround of the Commonwealth Games," says a New Delhi-based senior Congress leader.

After the initial lethargy, mismanagement and failures, if things improved overnight, it's due to one man and his team, the leader noted.

Subrata Roy Sahara, chairman of Sahara India Parivar -- which claims to be 'the world's largest family' -- came forward to help.

At New Delhi's spanking international airport, around 500 Sahara employees were posted to assist the arriving guests and a huge workforce from the company was also deputed at the Games Village as well.

According to a senior source in the government, young college students got engaged in the cleaning-up job as well.

Also, Sahara India managed to get young Indian beauties all dressed up to fit the occasion, in zari-embroidered saris, make-up, with bindi and matching jewellery, to lead the different contingents at the CWG's opening as well.

Sheela Bhatt in New Delhi

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