The uncertainty over the future of Jitan Ram Manjhi appears to have created several chief ministers-in-waiting. “Every Dalit leader fancies himself as the chosen one to replace Manjhi,” said a senior JDU leader. ood and consumer affairs minister Shyam Rajak was visible in Delhi when RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar were discussing the future political moves. Everybody thought Shyam was the chosen one. The logic given behind Shyam’s acceptance as Manjhi’s replacement was his closeness with Lalu in the past. His cellphone kept ringing with people almost congratulating him. The minister had to explain that his trip to Delhi was pre-planned and had nothing to do with replacing Manjhi. There were other ministers whose names were whispered. Transport minister Ramai Ram also nurtures the hope that he will be the chief minister one day. Mines minister Ram Lakhan Ram’s name also popped up. The logic given was that he was docile and would be acceptable to both Nitish and Lalu. But at the end, Manjhi was firmly in saddle and the chief ministers-in-waiting were left high and dry.
City superintendent of police (SP) Shivdeep Lande realised during one of his recent visits to the airport in civil dress that he was a celebrity, well almost. When a crewmember of a channel spotted Lande, he thought he would have another episode to shoot the SP in action. But when he approached Lande, the police officer panicked and said he was at the airport to see off his wife. “Each time mediapersons see Lande in civil dress, they expect some action,” said a senior officer. The Patna police had a tough time wriggling out of the situation he had created by arresting a police inspector of Uttar Pradesh on charges of demanding bribe. The UP policemen are still fuming over the episode.
The appeal of Union petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan to the well-off sections of the society to forgo subsidy on cooking gas appears to have only one taker in Bihar. Former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi announced that he would not take subsidised gas cylinders and would purchase them in market rate. A lot of BJP leaders are mourning. “Now, the party will expect MPs, MLAs, MLCs and all its leaders to follow him,” said a BJP MLA, pointing out that the consumption of cooking gas at his place remains perpetually high because a lot of persons from his constituency regularly visit his official residence and expect food. “Giving up anything is hard for politicians,” the MLA said.
Art and culture minister Vinay Bihari is envying Draupadi — the mythological figure who was married to five Padava brothers — these days, said one of his close aides. Bihari is said to be upset after the latest administrative shake-up in which a new principal secretary — the third in a year — was posted in his department. The minister had a public spat with IAS officer Chanchal Kumar and did not seem to get along with any of his bureaucratic heads. “After a couple of more changes, the number of bureaucratic heads of his department would go up to five,” said another minister.
