Chief minister Nitish Kumar returned to the state capital by the Rajdhani Express on Sunday after meeting Anna Hazare, triggering speculation that he preferred to take the train because of adverse flying conditions.After the death of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Rajashekhara Reddy in a chopper accident, several leaders gave up flying in helicopters for some time. But Nitish continued to use the choppers without fear,” a senior JD(U) leader said. The mode of travelling of politicians has undergone a sea change in Bihar in the past two decades. They prefer flying for short distances. “Of course there are reasons behind fearless use of choppers by the politicians. Most of the senior politicians use double engine choppers,” another seasoned politician said. A lot of politicians go to Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park for morning walk. During brisk walking, none of them acknowledge the existence of others. Walk over, politicians of even rival parties get engaged in discussions. The only exception is the human resource development minister P.K. Shahi. “One must realise that there is a difference. Barring Shahi, all the others have been in politics for ages and were in the same boat at some point of time. But Shahi is not a politician. He has been thrust in the political set-up. That’s why he is the lone walker,” a politician said. When senior CPI leader Chaturanan Mishra died, the chief minister’s office issued a statement mourning the death of the veteran communist leader. The next day, the rest of the state ministers issued condolence messages. Surprisingly ministers feel the sorrow after the chief minister, always. “The ministers learn about the death of a prominent personality almost at the same time the chief minister does. But they o not send their condolence the same day because they fear that the chief minister might take exception to their names and messages clubbed with his own in the media,” a politician said. olitical circles pointed out that this trend was not only confined to the Nitish era. “Ministers are expected to express their sorrow a day after,” said the senior politician. Several leaders of the LJP, including the party chief Ram Vilas Paswan, staged a dharna against the state government. Various leaders of the party delivered speech one after another. Members of the electronic media wanted Paswan to issue a statement. Paswan asked the leader delivering speech to stop. He interacted with the media for 20 minutes even as the LJP leader fretted and fumed with the mike remaining silent. “It is still better than what Lalu’s leaders had to face during his regime. Lalu used to interrupt speakers frequently and make his leaders nervous,” said a leader of the LJP.
Sunday, 18 May 2025
