Three cheers for leader of four
Congratulatory wishes from deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi and two other ministers puzzled Congress MLA Sadanand Singh for a while on Monday. After some time he realised he was being congratulated for being appointed the leader of the four-member Congress Legislative Party.
Modi, as the Leader of the Opposition, enjoyed a warm relationship with Singh, who was the speaker of the House between 2000 and 2005. When a Bhagalpur woman charged Singh with rape, Modi came in his defence more strongly than his speaker’s partymen. “Even this time, Modi must have congratulated Singh before many Congress leaders. It is another thing that the Congress Legislative Party leader once used to hold the most sought-after post in the state. The party high command took more than three months to decide on the leadership,” a senior Congress leader said, adding the former speaker was made to wait for the deflated post despite his seniority.
Don-turned-politician and former MP Surajbhan still appears to have a considerable say within the LJP. Former Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan and Surajbhan were supposed to attend a function organised recently to celebrate the birth anniversary of Swami Sahjanand Saraswati. Paswan arrived first. After waiting for some time for Surajbhan, Paswan inaugurated the programme by lighting the traditional lamp. But the inaugural ritual was redone after Surajbhan arrived. “Paswan used to arrive late at events when he was in power and Surajbhan used to wait for him. Now it is the opposite. But what can Paswanji do? Even former MPs have become important in our party,” said an LJP worker, pointing out the party did not have a single MP in Lok Sabha. Employees of the Assembly keenly observe how ministers enter the House. According to a section of them, most ministers sit in the back seat while their private assistant sits beside the driver in front. “But the asli saheb is energy minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav. He sits in the front seat,” said a peon. Although they take jibes at the minister privately, Yadav has quite a reputation as a no-nonsense minister who can make anyone sweat with a frown. “It’s not for nothing that he is named the asli saheb here,” said a peon, saluting the minister. For politicians, hogging limelight is a big challenge. Sudhir Sharma, a BJP spokesperson, found himself in wilderness at a party function on Sunday. Just a couple of days ago, he was in focus as he moderated a function jointly held by the BJP and JD (U). At the function, Sharma was left grumbling about his party leaders who were allegedly out to destroy his political career. Even when his name was announced to offer flowers to a guest, he was beaten to the stage by a fellow office-bearer. “It is a tough job to keep the focus of leaders on yourself when you do not have a political clout,” a BJP leader said.
