Minister rides high on caste count
A senior minister belonging to Koiri or Kushwaha caste is believed to have been harbouring the ambition to replace Nitish Kumar, a Kurmi, as the chief minister. The minister’s ambition is based on a numerical logic.
Kushwahas are known to be the progeny of Luv, Lord Ram’s first son, and Kurmis are descendants of Kush, Ram’s second son. That is why the Koiri-Kurmi combination that Nitish initially projected as the “nucleus” of his strength was known as “Luv-Kush” combination. But the Koiris are relatively bigger in numerical strength than the Kurmis in the state. And that’s precisely the basis for the Koiri minister’s ambition to replace Nitish. Will he succeed? “Koiri ka devata” (God of Koiris) is an adage used in the hinterland to describe the calm and peaceful nature of a person. Koiris are known for their humble behaviour while the Kurmis are believed to be aggressive. True to the adage, the minister harbouring the ambition is a calm and submissive person. One of his close friends asked: “Will he (the minister) ever muster the courage to raise his voice against the flamboyant, articulate, media savvy and hard working Nitish Kumar?” Other than belonging to a caste that may be more in number, the minister will have to catch up with several other traits necessary to substitute Nitish.
Deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi lost his patience after encountering couple after couple seeking his help to resolve their marital discord. Several men and women turned up at Modi’s janata darbar with their personal problems. A visibly fed-up Modi yelled: “I have been encountering you (couples) one after another at the darbar. You should realise you are wasting our precious time.” The deputy chief minister then explained to the complainants: “The janata darbar of chief minister or a minister is not the appropriate forum to solve marital discords or even the problems between a son and his parents. Better you sort out these issues among yourselves, in your family or immediate neighbours.” Later, Modi explained his anxiety to reporters: “See, we are people’s servants. They feel we politicians have the panacea to solve all their problems. But how can we solve disputes between husbands and wives?” Patna commissioner K.P. Ramaiah came across a file with some sort of “recommendation letter” from a minister while holding his court last week. Ramaiah aired his anguish over the recommendation in his stentorian voice. “It is the commissioner’s court. You should not have brought a letter from a minister or an MLA to push your file. The disputes in the court are settled strictly in accordance with the law and not on the basis of letters from ministers or legislators,” Ramaiah said. The complainant was dumbfounded. An official working at commissioner's office suggested to the complainant: “You should have met the commissioner sahib with the minister’s letter at his janata darbar and not in his court.” Another quipped: “You lack the basic decorum to pursue your case in a court.” Lalu Prasad’s RJD was earlier known for serving packets of sweets, samosas and cutlets followed by tea at its news conferences. The reporters invited to cover the meet as well as the party workers present there devoured the snacks with delight. Of late, only biscuits are served on a moving tray, much to the disappointment of reporters and workers. “Are you so poor now that you cannot even serve decent snacks?” asked a TV channel reporter. Party general secretary and MP Ramkripal Yadav immediately replied: “Jo khate hain wahin khilate hain (we serve what we eat).” The message was clear: The party, which has been out of power for six years now, is feeling the pinch of paucity.
