Jibes fly as alu comes

Every visit of the RJD chief, Lalu Prasad, to Patna sparks verbal duel between him and his chhotey bhai (younger brother) chief minister Nitish Kumar. hen Lalu was in Patna for two days to ensure the sole Bihar Legislative Council seat his party can win on its strength went to his wife Rabri Devi, he demanded a CBI probe into the pending detailed contingency bills — worth over Rs 22,000 crore - pointed out in the CAG report. “Laluji appears to have become a supporter of the CBI,” said Nitish, apparently referring to the strong opposition of the RJD against a CBI probe into the fodder scam. “But I want him (Lalu) to come and settle down in Bihar,” Nitish said. “Even Nitishji appears to be missing the fun of taking political swipes at his main political opponent,” said a JD(U) leader, recalling that Nitish was among the first few to talk to Laluji over telephone when he was hospitalised because of high blood sugar.

Pak out f favour

When reporters recently asked RJD chief Lalu Prasad for a reaction on the visit of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zadari, he irtually shooed them off. “I have better things to do than issuing a statement on Zardari,” Lalu said. Old-timers recalled that during the NDA regime at the entre, Lalu had gone to Pakistan as a member of an Indian parliamentarians’ delegation. He was an nstant hit and crowds irtually gathered to get a glimpse of him. After returning to India, Lalu was ever ready to speak on akistan and delivered everal lectures about his experience in the eighbouring country. A Pakistan delegation even visited 1 Aney Marg when his wife Rabri Devi was the chief minister. Former President of Pakistan ervez Musharraf had sent a photograph of Lalu with his signature and the comment “An artist of a politician Janab Lalu Prasad”. “Since then, Laluji suffered several political setbacks. Now he has much more to think about than a visit of a Pakistani president,” said a senior RJD leader.

Smirk overand survey

The state government officers smirked after the recent amendment in the land survey bill, shifting the responsibility of carrying out the survey on them from the IAS officers. “This is the work of the IAS lobby. They realised that they cannot sweat it out on the fields to measure land and go through the complex process of documenting them. They would rather sit in their AC chambers,” said a senior state government officer, mourning that all tough works were thrust on them. “District magistrates were called collectors because they were supposed to look after the land issue,” he added.

Silence of the leader

With Rabri Devi all set to enter the Bihar Legislative ouncil after losing from two Assembly seats in 2010, he RJD leaders are grumbling that they would have a 'silent Leader of the pposition in the council'. 'As the Leader f the Opposition in the Assembly, she barely uttered a word for five years,' said a former MLA. There were everal aspirants for the sole seat the RJD can win on its strength in the Assembly. 'Everybody was hopeful for the state party president Ram Chandra Purbey. But better luck for him the next time,' said nother former MLA.