Gandhi Maidan rally hint worries leaders

Chief minister Nitish Kumar’s hint at taking the struggle for special status to Bihar to Gandhi Maidan, the historic venue considered the barometer to measure the popularity of leaders, appears to have made a section of the JD(U) leaders worried. The beautification of Gandhi Maidan is expected to be complete by next year in March. The party would hold its rally late next year as a precursor to the Lok Sabha campaign. The problem is that once a party holds a huge rally, it becomes a benchmark for future rallies,” a senior leader said. In the early 1990s, Lalu Prasad used to hold huge rallies at Gandhi Maidan. But the size of the crowds participating in his rallies dipped with his political fortunes. The CPI, which was once a major force in Bihar, also saw its crowds shrinking.

Colonial cousin

Rekha Modi continues to haunt the deputy chief minister, Sushil Kumar Modi. On Tuesday, she turned up at the janata darbar of Modi with a complaint. Earlier, she surfaced at the janata darbars of both the chief minister and the district magistrate. “When you have gone to the CM's darbar, there is no need to come to the deputy CM's darbar,” Modi said wearily. “Modiji has reasons to be weary of Rekha. Every time she surfaces on a public platform, the media projects her as his sister. Each time Modiji has to explain that she is actually his cousin and not sister,” a Modi supporter said. Her name cropped up for the first time during the RJD regime when Modi was the Leader of the Opposition. A legislator of the RJD demanded action against the sister of Modiji for allegedly employing a child labourer in her house. “Modiji clarified that Rekha was not his sister but a cousin he was not fond of. But since then Rekha has been haunting Modiji every time she puts up a public show as a social activist or for her personal reason,” the deputy chief minister’s supporter said.

Lady cop instant hit

A new IPS officer is turning quite a few heads these days. The Patna police office is most of the times abuzz with discussions on her. It turns more “thrilling” when she smartly walks by. Not just the policemen, even journalists appear to be keen to talk about her. While some call her very strict, others say she is a bit too emotional while handling her job. The best thing about her, as the talks goes, are her sunglasses, something which can easily give a complex to Pakistan foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar. It is too early to review her performance, but she is an eye candy for sure.

Quit to criticise

The NDA leaders are training their guns at dissident MP Upendra Prasad Kushwaha, who has not only formed a new political outfit but is also trying to paint JD(U) as a “communal force” because of its alliance with the BJP. The JD(U) leaders want Kushwaha to first quit the Rajya Sabha seat he got because of the party support and then launch an agitation against the NDA government. The BJP leaders are aggrieved. “Every JD(U) leader who wants to be out of the party suddenly starts calling us communal. Kushwaha contested Assembly polls as a JD(U) candidate backed by the BJP. He did not remember then that we are a communal party,” scoffed a senior BJP leader. The BJP leaders are pointing towards Nitish Kumar’s mistake in sending him to the Rajya Sabha.