Soft-spoken dabang MLA

RJD MLA Bhola Yadav, who is Lalu Prasad’s right-hand man, purportedly had a heated exchange with a probationary IPS officer in Darbhanga over parking a vehicle. Bhola, however, on Tuesday denied that any such thing happened. “I was simply talking to him (the IPS officer),” Bhola said, alleging that the media had twisted facts to show him as a dabang (ruthless) leader which he is not. “Bhola is known as a soft-spoken person. But he is after all close to Lalu — his words are known to be Lalu’s order. He is dabang even if he speaks softly,” quipped a senior RJD leader.

Lalu’s ‘divorce’

After BJP leaders demanded that if Nitish Kumar was retaining 7 Circular Road as a former chief minister, Lalu and Rabri — both former CMs — should be given two bungalows, Lalu, in his signature style, declared the BJP was trying to get him and Rabri divorced and swore that the BJP would not succeed in its mission. “We will be together,” he said. Old timers recalled that when Nitish Kumar announced that all former CMs would be given government bungalows and Lalu and Rabri were given just one — 10 Circular Road which was already allotted to Rabri — the reason was given that since they were husband and wife they require only one bungalow. “Lalu at that time had publicly complained that Nitish had deliberately denied him an additional bungalow,” recalled a senior politician.

Prohibition side effects

Chief minister Nitish Kumar often declares that only a few English-speaking and affluent section of the people are opposing total prohibition. However, the truth is that several junior and middle level executives of private companies are also opposing the ban though many of them do not touch liquor. “Before the ban our monthly meetings used to be held in Patna. I used to reach there in the morning and leave by the evening to reach home, 200km away, to be with the family. After the ban my company and many others have shifted the venue of the monthly meeting to Ranchi. Now, my trip to Ranchi and back consumes three days,” rued a pharmaceutical company employee.

The heat is on

Leaders are reluctant to come out of their air-conditioned rooms in the pre-monsoon heat. Lalu Prasad recently called a press meet at around 4pm. However he was reluctant to come out of his AC room because of the humid heat. He tried to talk to journalists in groups in his room, but ultimately gave up as there were a large number of them. He finally emerged from his room with a towel over his head. “This is a far cry from when he held mega rallies in Gandhi Maidan in midsummer,” remarked an RJD leader.