Nitish Kumar in Rajgir on Monday. Telegraph picture

Patna, Dec. 26: He blended picnic and fun with serious politics in a befitting way to end the year.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar today rode a colourful horse-drawn carriage and arranged for sumptuous meal for ruling legislators on the concluding day of the two-day JD(U) camp in the sylvan surroundings of Rajgir.

In between the Seva Yatra phases, Nitish chose Rajgir, the tourist spot associated with Gautam Buddha and Mahavira, for holding the Vidhayak-Vidhan Parsad Shivir (legislators’ camp), ostensibly to share ideas and apprise them of the work his government was doing for the masses. However, party sources said the prime idea was to keep a watch on the legislators. By lending a patient ear to speeches of 45 legislators, Nitish virtually gave them the “safety valve” to vent their feelings, an opportunity they hardly get with him.

The chief minister might have denied dinner to his Gujarat counterpart Narendra Modi but he is known to master the art of entering the cadres’ hearts through their stomach. Fine rice, daal, baigan bhaja (brinjal fry), two varieties of seasonal green vegetables, papad, tilouri — almost everything that make up a decent Bihari meal — was served for lunch. Dinner comprised puri, vegetables, kheer, belgarami, gulab jamun, while fried green gram, chuda (beaten rice) and jalebi were served at breakfast. In his inimitable style, Nitish personally inspected the preparation of the food for the legislators.

“In his heart of hearts, Nitish is aware that legislators were feeling the pinch of withdrawal of the local area fund. The good food at the legislators’ camp, the sugary way he addressed us amid the green woods and enchanting hills were all ploy to keep us in good humour,” revealed a legislator.

Nitish said: “The fund was a great source of your embarrassment. People pointed fingers at you. Allegations were levelled that the legislators were misusing the fund,” he said. He added: “The decision (to withdraw the fund) has raised your izzat (honour) in the eyes of the people.”