To the fore, all the new men 

This Assembly session, rivals in the House are just talking politics — even during the proceedings. 
Leader of the Opposition Nand Kishore Yadav, for instance, never fails to remind water resources minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary that he was a latecomer in the JDU. “But you had the ability to sideline the other leaders, originally from the Samata Party, and become the number 2 in the JDU,” Nand Kishore told Chaudhary (who had left the Congress to join the JDU). The minister returned the favour. “I have sympathy for you (Nand Kishore). You want to be the chief ministerial candidate but you don’t only have to face Sushil Kumar Modi but also Prem Kumar (a former minister), another contender in the BJP,” Chaudhary hit back. A senior MLA said: “In this election year, politics will mingle with business (read party hoppers).” The leader said it was apparent from the Assembly proceedings which MLA’s loyalty lay where. “Those who sit in their chairs while their colleagues stand up to protest are those who are thinking of changing their party tags,” he added.

Bagful of gifts

The long budget session brings along several gifts for legislators. The gifts include expensive suitcases and briefcases the leaders receive from various departments the day the budget is presented. The current session has been no exception, too, as legislators are seen happily trooping out of the House with their “gifts”. Only, there has been an attempt at variety this time. The health department gave medicines to help legislators stay fit. The industry department gave out silk bags, saris and silk kurtas, while a couple of other departments gifted the members flasks and jaggery, respectively. “In the earlier days, MLAs just used to get yearly reports and the ministers’ speeches. Then a seasoned politician, the late Rajo Singh, suggested plastic folders be introduced so that all the reports and documents are neatly stacked for legislators. Over the time, the folders gave way to expensive gifts,” said a senior former MLA. 

Raw nerve hit

Chief minister Nitish Kumar went to Gandhi Maidan in Patna last week to hear sermons of a godman from Gujarat. The godman, welcoming Nitish, remarked that he had heard of the disaster caused by the Kosi (in 2008) and hoped that everything was fine now. Nitish just smiled back. “It was ironical. Nitish had returned a cheque of Rs 5 crore the Gujarat government, then headed by Narendra Modi, gave for the Kosi deluge victims. This led to an open conflict between the two leaders. Nitish could not have missed the irony of the remark coming from a man from Gujarat,” said an onlooker present at the scene.

Dal’s concern

RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s cool response towards the Janata parivar merger had worried JDU legislators last week. “It makes us — Nitish Kumar and the party — appear to be in a hurry and Lalu is taking it lightly,” said a JDU MLA, pointing out that the merger was already delayed. “Once the merger takes place, it will take time to sink into the party workers. That will be another six months. The Assembly polls are already staring at us, the leader said, adding that Nitish did not wait for Narendra Modi to be formally announced as BJP’s prime ministerial candidate before breaking the 17-year-old ties with the BJP. Lalu, however, cleared air on the merger on Sunday.