It was perhaps a first for Palaniappan Chidambaram. He had a most unusual effect on Lok Sabha MPs last week. Minutes after he delivered his Budget speech, MPs across party lines were on the phone, cancelling weekend parties and making arrangements to head home.

A globe-trotting Kamal Nath may think he has all the answers but even he will be flummoxed by this one. Last week 175 foreign delegates from 45 countries came to Delhi for a meeting of er...the World Toilet Organisation (WTO).