The finger does it

• After Speaker Vijay Kumar Chaudhary disallowed the headcount on the appropriation bill inside the Assembly, there are allegations that parliamentary affairs minister Shravan Kumar, who sits in the front of the treasury benches, "controlling the House with his fingers". An RJD MLA alleged: "One should keep an eye on the fingers of Shravanji. The Speaker keeps a close watch on it, By using his fingers Shravanji gets the House adjourned when the government does not want it to run." A JDU minister who was hearing the conversation asked the RJD MLA if he kept an eye on two of his colleagues, Bhai Birendra and Lalit Yadav. "You should keep an eye on the fingers of the two. They also gesture to Shravanji asking him to get the house adjourned till 2 pm," remarked the minister, stressing that the fingers worked for both ruling and Opposition parties.

Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde

• The current Assembly session has seen RJD MLAs shouting slogans against chief minister Nitish Kumar (in picture) regularly inside the House. One would have thought that they would be as aggressive even outside, but an outsider was surprised when he saw over half a dozen MLAs going into the CM's chamber with petitions related to work in their constituencies. "Most of the RJD MLAs whom I had seen shouting slogans against the chief minister did not forget to touch the CM's feet before leaving the office," remarked the person. "Of course, MLAs do not know what will happen tomorrow and which party's symbol they will contest for in the next polls."

Modi's watch

• The black watch worn by deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi is the talk sweeping across Assembly and council buildings. It is reported to be a smart watch tagged with his mobile. It enables him to use social media inside the legislative House and remain updated with news. "I was amazed at how Modiji keeps pace with the news. Now I know," remarked an RJD MLA. Modi has always been tech-savvy. "When everyone was still digging in documents and newspapers, Modiji was with a laptop. He was the first to have a palmtop and latest mobiles," said a BJP colleague, pointing out that the deputy CM is always one up against his rivals when it comes to the use of technology.

Dry state, wet wit

• Now that chief minister Nitish Kumar has limited talking about his anti-liquor policy, there were talks among the employees of the canteen of the state Legislative Council about the price at which they are able to procure a quarter bottle of liquor. Most varied from Rs 280 to Rs 300. One employee boasted that he gets his for just Rs 250. Others wanted him to get bottles for them as well. He refused, stressing that everybody knows where they can get a bottle of liquor in Patna. "Even all the legislators know," he remarked. "The only thing is that they do not say it before Nitish Babu."