Can’t frame question? Meet kind Kalam

When former President APJ Abdul Kalam invited questions from legislators after his speech on Tuesday, a JD(U) MLA started giving suggestions on how Bihar can be improved. The legislator's colleagues ridiculed him, but Kalam was kind at him.If you are unable to formulate your question right now, meet me individually. We will discuss,” Kalam said. Earlier, Assembly Speaker Uday Narain Choudhary, who was presiding over the function, told the legislator: “Kalam saheb has invited questions. But you are delivering a full-fledged speech.” Some colleagues of the MLA remarked that the legislator appeared unaware of the difference between a question and a speech. “It shows the quality of the legislators in the state,” said another person present on the occasion.

Fountain politics

The fountain that deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi inaugurated with great fanfare at Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park, also known as Patna zoo, during the first tenure of the Nitish Kumar government is defunct for the past several weeks. The exact reason behind the fountain’s dry spell is unknown. But the morning-walkers who throng the zoo in thousands everyday have their own version on the issue. One among them said: “The government has brute majority in the second term. It hardly cares for such small things now.” Another said: “During the first term, the government was not sure of its comeback. Modi inaugurated it to win over the morning-walkers. With the elections still four years away, the ruling party leaders are hardly bothered about public amenities.”

Opposition minus power

Neither the RJD, nor any other opposition party opposed the Bihar State Electricity Board’s decision to impose a premium of 10 per cent on electricity bills. “It appears that the Opposition is now dead in Bihar. Otherwise, they should have reacted to the hardship that the growing power tariff is causing to the common consumers in the state. They should have come out with an agitation plan,” said a physician. Asked to comment on the common perception about the Opposition, RJD general secretary Ramkripal Yadav said: “The government has become thick-skinned. It is not listening to the Opposition's voice.” But where is the Opposition's voice, sir?

Game of convenience

Nitish Kumar appears to have won over his cabinet colleague and BJP minister Giriraj Singh who used to speak against him and in favour of his (Nitish’s) bete noire Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi at the drop of a hat. Nitish got Giriraj to accompany him on his first leg of Seva Yatra in West Champaran district. Besides, Giriraj was seen occupying the front row when the former President, APJ Abdul Kalam, and Nitish were addressing the legislators on Tuesday. Asked about his newfound bonhomie with the chief minister, Giriraj said: “He (Nitish) is our chief minister, our respected leader. How can I speak against him?” Reminded about his utterances about Narendra Modi, Giriraj said: “Oh! it is not right to speak same thing again and again.” A wag remarked that politics was a game of convenience, which the politicians play with panache.