Ministers generally try be very careful while talking to media, even if it is off the record. Especially, if they interact with media at a friendly get-together over a drink, they should be all the more careful, because there is every possibility of their talk being recorded and carried in the media later.
It happened with one of the ministers in the Chandrasekhar Rao cabinet the other day. There was a media get-together organised by the Chief Minister’s publicity wing a couple of days before the commencement of assembly session.
The minister was chatting with media persons over drinks and he blurted out how the demonetisation had brought a lot of problems to the politicians, besides common people. He said he had even brought to the notice of the chief minister, but the latter did not listen and was supporting Modi.
He thought he was speaking in lighter vein with the media, but the next day, one of the newspapers carried his observations without missing a word. Naturally, it angered KCR. And within a couple of days, he issued orders removing some discretionary powers of the minister on the ground that the powers were being misused for collecting bribes. The minister had none else but himself to blame!
