Ranjan firm on Pataliputra seat

Everyone appears to have forgotten Ranjan Prasad Yadav, the sitting JD(U) MP from the Pataliputra Lok Sabha seat and friend-turned-foe of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, as the constituency is gearing up for the grand contest between chacha (uncle) Ram Kripal Yadav and bhatiji (niece) Misa Bharati. ver since he faced a hostile crowd in his constituency, there have been talks of him being dropped from the list of JD(U) candidates. Speculation is rife that Ranjan would be replaced by a woman MLA of the party. The standing MP, however, has made it clear that he would contest from Pataliputra at any cost. “That I will contest from my constituency is as sure as death,” he said. Some of his party leaders believe that Ranjan should quit voluntarily. “Ranjan achieved his life’s ambition of defeating Lalu Prasad in an election during the 2009 polls. Now he will have to contest with the daughter of the RJD chief. A loss would undo his achievement of defeating Lalu. Now that Lalu would not be in the Lok Sabha, who will Ranjan tease in the House?” asked a senior JD(U) leader.

Gyanu speaks his mind out

Hardly anybody in the JD(U) expected the party MLA, Gyanendra Singh Gyanu, to speak against the leadership. But he did when Renu Kushwaha quit the ministry. He said the old loyalists who have been with Nitish since the Samata Party days had been sidelined. Several JD(U) leaders agreed with him. “It began with inducting the likes of Shyam Rajak, Ramai Ram (both ministers) and Sanjay Singh (a party spokesperson). Had the Samata Party leaders been in the driving seat, the JD(U)-BJP break-up would not have happened,” said a JD(U) leader. Gyanu, a JD(U) leader said, was unhappy over Munger MP Lallan Singh’s return to the party. As the chairman of the disciplinary body of the JD(U), he had recommended the expulsion of Lallan for anti-party activities during the last Assembly polls. “Suddenly, Lallan is back to the centre stage of the party. Naturally, Gyanu would be unhappy,” pointed out another JD(U) leader.

Nitish draws nominee flak

Agriculture minister Narendra Singh has resented the announcement of the names of the party candidates by the chief minister in public meetings. “The chief minister should resist from announcing the names of candidates from the roads. The proper forum for this is the parliamentary board,” he said. Insiders pointed out that the minister was angry over the party’s move to field Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary. He wants “his” man to be fielded from Jamui — the place where the minister enjoys substantial influence over the electorate.

Cellphone signal

When Ram Kripal Yadav was sulking and talking to the BJP leaders, he switched off his cellphone. Renu Kushwaha did not receive phone calls while resigning from the ministry. Political leaders and workers become nervous during the election time if they cannot talk to their seniors. “When a prominent leader switches off cellphone during the election time, rest assured that he/she would switch sides or does not want to talk to ticket aspirants,” said a political worker.