The Leader of Opposition, Abdul Bari Siddiqui, is reportedly angry with the RJD chief, Lalu Prasad, and chief minister Nitish Kumar. Siddiqui sahib is often forced by his party chief to give statements on issues he is not keen on speaking. On the other hand, Nitish treats him with disdain and hardly reacts to the charges levelled by him. The chief minister asks small-time politicians Sanjay Singh and Rajiv Ranjan to reply to the charges. He finds it below dignity to get into a war of words with persons he considers unfit to wage a political battle,” said an RJD leader. Not surprisingly, MP Ram KripalYadav and the state party president, Ram Chandra Purbey, did most of the talking for the RJD in the recent times. The new look of the janata durbar venue at 1 Aney Marg has not only antagonised the reporters for being kept at an arm's distance from chief minister Nitish Kumar. It appears to have confused the ministers also. Education minister P.K. Shahi was seen looking for his seat at the place earmarked for petitioners. An employee of the chief minister’s secretariat had to guide him to his new seat. “The chief minister secretariat appears to love springing surprises for ministers,” said another minister. One wondered if the new seat arrangement reflected Nitish’s changed preference for ministers, another minister added. The war of words between the BJP and the JD(U) has subsided but some Dal MLAs are praying for a quick break-up. “It is not just about becoming ministers (the break-up would lead to 12 vacancies in the ministry) but also about getting the MLA funds back,” said a JD(U) MLA, complaining that chief minister Nitish Kumar prefers to listen to officials than his MLAs. With a reduced majority in the Assembly, Nitish will perhaps start listening to MLAs, said another Dal MLA. The BJP leaders pointed out that the alliance was intact. “The JD(U) leaders praying for a break-up with the BJP must also pray that Narendra Modi wins the Assembly elections hands down in Gujarat,” said a BJP MLA. Reporters pestered film star Ravi Kissen during his recent visit to Patna for a reaction on the statement of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray that he would declare all Biharis in his state infiltrators. But the actor pleaded that he would not like to comment on the issue. “I am practically a Bihari. But I also live in Mumbai,” he said. Whenever there is an anti-Bihari agitation in Mumbai, Bihari celebrities appear to go into hiding. “A Bihari star had written to top Bollywood actors and players to speak in favour of people of the state working in Mumbai during an anti-Bihari movement. Unfortunately, not a single star responded. If Bihar is expecting Bollywood to come to its support, it will be disappointed. They are too scared of the MNS and the Shiv Sena,” said a Bihari residing in Mumbai.
Monday, 05 May 2025
