Campaign for Modi at home

After chief minister Nitish Kumar batted for a secular NDA prime ministerial candidate, a text message was circulated stressing that Bihar’s deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi fits the bill. He (Modi) is secular, he is a leader of a big party (BJP), he hails from an underdeveloped state (Bihar) and he heads a Union government body, which makes him a national leader. He just fits in,” read the text. “As Nitish”s dislike for Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi is well-known, it will not be a bad idea to try out apna (our own) Modi,” said a BJP leader with a smile, adding that Nitish had kept himself out of the PM race. “Bihar had two prime ministerial candidates — Lalu Prasad and Ram Vilas Paswan. We need someone to fill in that vacancy,” he said.

Sadhu foxes star with acting

Film actor Ravi Kissen was “star-struck” while flying from Delhi to Patna. He found himself seated beside former MP Sadhu Yadav. As he got to know his co-passenger’s name, the actor said he was familiar with the former MP”s name and had heard a lot about him. Sadhu stressed that most of the things the actor had heard about him were false and he was actually a sadhu (saint) by nature. “The film star praised Sadhu after he landed in Patna and stressed that the former MP was actually a humble man. Perhaps Ravi was unfamiliar with the nature and deeds of Sadhu while Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi were in power. Sadhu turned out to be a good actor,” said another passenger travelling in the same flight.

Health still on mind

Principal secretary of ducation department Amarjeet Sinha recently addressed his minister P.K. Shahi as “swasth (health) minister” at a function. “The slip of he tongue is nderstandable, as Sinha has had a long tenure in the health department. But it appears that ealth minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey still haunts him,” said an fficer present at the function. The relationship between Choubey and Sinha was the talk of the town at one point of time. There was rumour that they did to even speak with each other. The health minister refused to attend the chief minister’s janata darbar because of Sinha’s resence. The opposition MLAs attacked Choubey in the Assembly, saying that the minister had o control over his fficers in the epartment. “Hopefully, Sinha would have a etter equation with Shahi,” the officer added.

Central varsity everywhere

RJD MP Raghuvansh Prasad Singh seems to have added “one more dimension” to the ongoing central university struggle. He has demanded a varsity at his home constituency Vaishali. “Chief minister Nitish Kumar wanted the Central University of Bihar in Motihari, Kapil Sibal wants it either in Patna or Gaya. Lalu is seeking central universities in Motihari, Patna and Gaya. Now, Raghuvansh has added one more district to the list. Soon all MPs will be demanding central university in their respective constituency,” said a teacher of Patna University, stressing that the entire issue was becoming a farce.