Energetic Ramai’s big ambition

Boasting of his administrative abilities, revenue and land reforms minister Ramai Ram recently claimed that he had “spruced up” every department he handled during his long tenure as minister. When I was given the energy department, the power situation in Bihar improved,” he said. A senior official of the land revenue department immediately said the energy department was in a bad shape now and Ram’s service was required there. Another person present insisted that the situation of 1 Aney Marg (the chief minister’s official residence) was fluid and perhaps the minister should shift there. Ram immediately described the suggestion as a conspiracy to politically harm him. A seasoned RJD leader said: “Ram has always dreamt about becoming a Dalit icon after late Jagjivan Ram. He wants to be the chief minister of Bihar. During the Lalu-Rabri era, he was eyeing the deputy chief minister’s chair. Lalu did not gave him the post, though.”

Clap therapy

minister was baffled by thunderous clapping from senior officers each time the achievement of a junior official was mentioned in a review meeting of his department. After enquiring, he learnt from a senior officer that the clapping was a token incentive to performers. “The appreciation by the department will motivate them work more rigorously,” the official told the minister. Thereafter, the minister clapped the loudest. “If the clapping therapy succeeds here, it should be replicated in other departments. It needs to be done for most of the ministers also,” said another official.

Test-tube jibe

The BJP has been eagerly waiting to hit back at JD(U) MLC Sanjay Singh after he said a DNA test should be conducted on the new main opposition party in the state. Panchayati raj minister Bhim Singh provided the BJP the opportunity when he demanded that the BJP men in government panels should quit. The BJP came out with a statement dubbing both Sanjay and Bhim as “test-tube babies” of the JD(U). They have been brought to the JD(U) under artificial conditions and both of them praised their former masters (Lalu and Ram Vilas Paswan) when we were on the streets fighting the jungle raj, the party stated.

World has changed, sir!

The state JD(U) president, Bashishtha Narayan Singh, described Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi’s interaction with the BJP workers though cellphones as a drama. Some JD(U) leaders appeared to disagree with him. “What is so hi-tech about cellphones. Everybody, right from a labourer to a rickshaw-puller, has a mobile handset,” said a JD(U) MLA, wondering if Bashishtha babu was too “old fashioned”.