No to Pappu

• Tejashwi Prasad Yadav is reported to have said no to the re-entry of Madhepura MP Pappu Yadav in the RJD. Pappu has gone soft on RJD chief Lalu Prasad recently and there were speculations that the controversial MP would be rejoining the party. "Pappu has a track record of joining the party winning elections and then leaving the party and abusing Laluji. He has done it three times there will not be a fourth time," said a senior RJD leader, stressing that perhaps the Madhepura MP wanted to contest the next Lok Sabha elections from his old constituency Purnea as the RJD is likely to field Sharad Yadav from Madhepura. But insiders say the Lalu family got enraged about the "planted" news that Lalu had called Pappu to Ranchi to meet. "Laluji never made any such call," insisted the RJD leader.

Health problems

• After applying for bail for RJD chief Lalu Prasad on health grounds, there are fears gripping the party. "The problem with bail on health grounds or for any other purpose is that it comes with so many riders. If the CBI agrees to giving Laluji bail on health ground they will also insist on riders like completely banning him from participating in political activities. The higher courts normally accept the demand," remarked a worried RJD leader, recalling that the bail of former Haryana CM Om Prakash Chautala was cancelled after he attended a political rally. "At least for now he makes statements while coming and going to court but after bail he may be stopped even on Twitter," the RJD leader said.

Fodder vs Srijan

• As Lalu Prasad is being convicted in one case after another, RJD leaders point out that all the accused in the Srijan scam are having a merry time outside jail. "It's a sloppy investigation being carried out by the CBI where accused persons are getting either bail or have not been traced out. Now I have more respect for the Bihar police than the CBI," said an RJD leader. JDU leaders say that Nitish Kumar did not repeat the mistake Lalu did when the fodder scam surfaced by opposing CBI probe, as a result of which a high court panel monitored the investigation. " Had Lalu given the fodder scam to the CBI the investigation would have been as sloppy as in the Srijan case," said the RJD leader.

Pot versus kettle

• The attack on an RJD MLA in Khagaria saw state party president Ram Chandra Purbey (right) marching to the office of the director-general of police with a memorandum demanding action against the culprits. Purbey declared that he felt ashamed and lived in fear as a Bihari as the law and order of the state had nose-dived. A BJP leader was livid. "The law and order of the state must be really bad as RJD leaders are living in fear," the BJP leader taunted, recalling the spate of kidnappings and murders during the Lalu-Rabri regime.