People taking part in the recent meeting of “Friends of Anand” paying Rs 5 as registration fee were not impressed with a four-page written speech of former MP Lovely Anand.
'It is not worth Rs 5,” said a participant after going through the speech. He wondered if the state politicians were trying to emulate Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, whose rally in Hyderabad was tagged with Rs 5 entry fee. “I do not think anyone in Bihar is willing to give Rs 5 to listen to a politician or participate in a political event. Leaders are finding it more and more difficult to get a crowd free of cost with so many politicians in the fray. As a result, vehicles, food, accommodation and even entertainment programmes are being organised for the participants,” said a former Congress MLA. He recalled that party workers even have to give the membership fee from their pocket for making people primary members of parties.
The Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Nand Kishore Yadav, was recently unhappy over a “soft” press release prepared by a state-level office-bearer of the BJP. Yadav gave a fleeting look at the note and said: “It is too vegetarian. Make it non-vegetarian.” Apparently, the press note was against the BJP's former ally, the JD(U). Yadav wanted it to be more forceful. Last week, the BJP had been at the receiving end of the JD(U) in tongue lashing, particularly from agriculture minister Narendra Singh. “Both the former allies are going more and more non-vegetarian in their word selection about each other and are accusing each other of using indecent words,” said a political observer. The list of Bihar leaders eager to meet Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi is becoming lengthy by the day. The JD(U) rebel MP, Jai Narain Nishad, met him. “Naturally, he praised Modi and called him a fit candidate for the post of Prime Minister. Earlier, former MPs Sadhu Yadav and Desai Choudhary did the same. “It's a new trend in Bihar. If non-BJP leaders praise Modi, rest assured of they joining his party. Similarly, if a non-JD(U) leader starts praising Nitish Kumar for, he/she would join the JD(U). It is either Modi or Nitish in Bihar now,” said a seasoned politician, noting the sharp polarisation. The JD(U) recently organised a programme in which around 150 BJP workers, mostly teenagers, joined the party. When reporters asked the JD(U)’s state president, Bashishtha Narayan Singh, if his party was game to induction of teenagers in the party, he flatly said no. When he was reminded of the show in which a large number of teenagers were made the party members, he remained silent for a few seconds and said they would learn the tricks of the trade and become matured JD(U) leaders.
