Our sources tell us that Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu has been feeling isolated, removed as he is from the political hustle-bustle that he was used to as a cabinet minister. Naidu feels he is now a prisoner of protocol.


A few media persons were invited to his home in New Delhi and were given a guided tour of the house. His predecessor, Hamid Ansari had built a huge prayer hall in the official residence of the vice president which will now be used for meetings. Naidu said that a Hanuman Temple and a mosque are also inside the Vice-Presidential  complex.

Naidu as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha has revealed that the CEO of Rajya Sabha Television made a presentation to him about the wasteful expenditure incurred and misappropriation in engaging cars and taxis. 

Naidu also raised the question how Rajya Sabha TV made a film for Rs 10 crore and who had authorised it. An internal inquiry has since been ordered. Media reports say that the channel has spent Rs 1,700 crore over four years from 2010-2014.

Naidu will soon travel to Bidar in Karnataka for launching the "Swachhta Hi Seva' programme spearheaded by President Ram Nath Kovind over a fortnight. Both Naidu and Kovind have decided to take forward the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, as they feel that it is not a political programme of the government, but one that must be converted into a mass movement. Naidu said that as the vice president, he could be more involved in pushing the sanitation programme through, which he had overseen as the urban affairs minister before assuming the constitutional post last month.