CM traffic courtesy

Chief minister Nitish Kumar recently said he was avoiding private functions to ensure people did not get stuck in traffic because of him.

"I do attend the invitations for marriages because I feel my visit might delay the bridegroom from coming to the venue," he said with a smirk. People hailed the view of Nitish. "But I think the chief minister should do something about the barati processions (the procession taken out by the groom's side towards the marriage venue). They make the life of commuters hell by not only blocking the road and dancing but also add to the noise pollution by bursting of crackers," said an official present there. He claimed that the chief minister was aware of the traffic problems. That is why he took a chopper to cross the Gandhi Setu.

No flashes, please!

A standing order has been issued to photojournalists to not use flashes while taking Nitish Kumar's snaps after he underwent an eye surgery in Delhi. Perhaps taking a cue from the chief minister, RJD chief Lalu Prasad asked them to click his pictures without using flash. He was irritated when a lensman asked him if he also had undergone an eye surgery like his ally, Nitish. The infuriated RJD chief threatened to break the camera of the photographer. "Lalu ji always gets irritated when cameras flash on him and complains that the lensmen are out to make him blind. It has nothing to do with Nitishji," said an old associate of the RJD chief.

Narendra party puzzle

Former minister Narendra Singh reportedly held a meeting with his supporters in his stronghold Jamui district and asked them to support him and his family members (two of his sons are sitting MLAs) in the coming Assembly elections. "But the former minister had some uneasy moments when a few of his supporters suggested that he should first decide which party he would contest from," recalled a person present in the meeting. Narendra is with Jitan Ram Manjhi at present. But the LJP has declared that it would oppose the sons of Narendra if they were fielded as NDA candidates because their father (Narendra) had ditched the party in 2005 after the February Assembly polls and joined hands with Nitish. "The former minister has been switching sides on a regular basis. So, it is natural for his supporters to get confused which side he will take this time," said a senior politician.

Flower crisis in season of 'change'

Welcoming new entrants with garlands of marigold flowers is a tradition. When Pappu Yadav was recently welcoming a few entrants to his party, Jan Adhikar Party, one of his followers gave him garlands used in marriages. When an infuriated Pappu asked the supporter about marigold garlands, the latter said they were not available in the market. The MP from Madhepura welcomed the new entrants with folded hands instead of garlanding them. "So many political workers and leaders are hopping from one party to another that there appears to be a shortage of marigold garlands," said another Pappu supporter.