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Background pinch to political leaders
The announcer at the inaugural function of the JD(U)’s Green Bihar campaign at chief minister Nitish Kumar's native village Kalyanbigha appeared to be a keen observer of political developments in the state. He embarrassed the newcomers to the JD(U) announcing their political background.
he announcer introduced Ram Vachan Rai as “a former MLC of the RJD, who has now joined the JD(U)”. He also read out the background of the Congress-turned-JD(U) MLC Mahachandar Singh and former RJD leader and law minister Shakeel Ahmad Khan. Running out of patience, chief minister Nitish Kumar called the announcer to tell him that there was no need to announce the history of the leaders present at the function. The announcer promptly stopped giving the background of the leaders. “Had the announcer been allowed to speak on, we might have heard the colourful history of many leaders. They would be long ones too, because many JD(U) leaders hopped from one party to another throughout their political career,” said a senior JD(U) leader.
Success hint in night toil
Several bureaucrats in the secretariat went back to their college days, as the state announced the implementation of the Right to Public Service Act (RTPS) on August 15. They had to spend sleepless nights for putting a system in order before the act became functional. “It was like being in college all over again, when we burnt the midnight oil to get into the civil services,” said an officer. He managed to sleep after being awake for three consecutive days. “Thanks to chief minister Nitish Kumar, I felt I was back in the college,” he said sarcastically. There is a section of people in the secretariat, who hope that the officers would succeed in the proper implementation of the act. “Just like we succeeded in getting into civil services after remaining awake at night during college days, we would succeed in implementing the act,” said another officer at the secretariat.
Slip of tongue
Animal and fish resources minister Giriraj Singh (in picture) had a slip of tongue during his speech at a recent horticulture show. Describing
hief minister Nitish Kumar and his
eputy, Sushil Kumar Modi, as the “Ram
akshman jodi”, Giriraj said: “They are both
isciples of Deen
ayal Upadhyay (the Sangh parivar ideologue).” A JD(U)
eader said: “The
inister should have been careful with his words. Nitish takes so much pain and labour
o convince his electorate that he is not under
he influence of Sangh parivar, a charge that is repeatedly flung at
im by his political
dversaries.”
Catching up with CM
Taking a cue from the chief minister, agriculture minister Narendra Singh (in picture) said at an event: “It’s our dream that one Bihari item should be there on every plate in India.” When it was the turn of Nitish Kumar to speak, he just declared that he had nothing more to say as Singh had already said what was needed. Nitish has been making the same statement for the past few months. A leader said: “That’s the trend. Once a leader has uttered a statement, others just follow and parrot it.”
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