Sushil Kumar Modi attends to complainants at his janata durbar on Tuesday. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

Patna, Jan. 7: Sushil Kumar Modi would hardly agree but reality differs.

The former deputy chief minister has lost his authority over bureaucracy in the capacity as the BJP legislature party leader as it was evident during the janata durbar today. While in the cabinet, Modi had officials at his beck and call, on Tuesday, it was an apparent frustrating experience for him.

When a man complained against a sub-inspector for torturing him in Nawada district, Modi first spoke to the superintendent of police concerned and later called up director-general of police (DGP) Abhayanand.

From the other side, the DGP said: “It’s holiday but you can call me after 5pm.”

Modi could only mutter: “Oh, I did not know this.”

The state government had a day’s holiday to celebrate Guru Govind Singh’s birthday on Tuesday.

Asked how he feels at being virtually ignored, Modi said: “I do not think that any officer ignores me. There is hardly any difference between how I worked as deputy chief minister and BJP legislature party leader. I have not become weak after leaving the post of deputy chief minister. On the contrary, I have become much stronger. I was the people’s representative and now also I am doing work for the betterment of the people.”

He added: “The only person who does not want to listen to me is chief minister Nitish Kumar who has intentionally neglected me by not allotting my private secretary an officer of the Bihar Administrative Service.”

On the first day of his durbar, held after around eight months, at least 250 people turned up from several districts like Nawada, Jehanabad, Sheohar, Siwan among many others. Modi’s durbar was no different from his previous one and people put forward their complaints with lots of expectations.

Phul Kumar Devi (27), who had come from Jehanabad district with her three-year-old child, complained about not getting the amount of Rs 700 under Janani Suraksha Yojana.

On Modi’s order, an official tried to contact the district magistrate. Finding him busy in a meeting, Modi asked for the civil surgeon. He said: “I want you to look into the matter.”

Modi called the woman and said: “My official will give you one letter. Please take it to the civil surgeon’s office located at Jehanabad collectorate premises.”

With moist eyes, she could only say: “Thrice I have visited the janata durbar of the chief minister but he hardly listened to me.”