BJP may opt out and lend outside support to Bihar government

In an attempt to extinguish the fire of revolt in the Bihar unit of the party, the BJP is likely to decide to come out of the Nitish Kumar-led coalition government in the state and opt for lending an issue-based support from outside.

Caught in a dilemma over replacing deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi, against whom majority of party MLAs have raised banner revolt in the state, senior BJP leaders are working and holding high-level consultations on the new formula to come out and lend outside support to the government.

Earlier, even after two-hours’ of brain storming session of the party’s parliamentary board on Wednesday, BJP leaders failed to thrash out the Bihar imbroglio. It was, however, agreed upon that a decision on the issue would be taken after the Karnataka Assembly elections.

In the mean time, the party’s central leadership is expected to weigh various options to diffuse the Bihar crisis, keeping in mind the interest of the party. Till now, though all the options are open, the leaders are busy evaluating gain and loss in either removing Modi or coming out of the government.

As per the indications, disgruntled party leaders of Bihar have so far been successful in convincing the central leadership that if Modi continued as the BJP legislature party leader, the party in the state would have to pay heavy price.

They complained that because of soft attitude of Modi, the chief minister has been ignoring the BJP while taking many of the government decisions, on which the party has strong ideological reservations. They argued that many decisions in favour of minority, which Kumar took, were against the principles of the party and exactly on these issue the party had been criticizing the Central government. But they are unable to raise their voice, as they are part of the government.

Sources in the party circle revealed that a senior party minister from Bihar informed BJP president Rajnath Singh that if the current state of affairs were allowed to continue, the party would lose its base and would reach to a point of no return.

The minister suggested that the high command might think of taking a decision to come out of the government and lend issue-based support to the state government. This would enable the party to continue its own programme and raise its voice against the wrong decisions of the state government, he said adding that the move would also suit the party in view of the Lok Sabha elections next year.

Confirming that Singh appeared positive on the proposal, sources said, the party president needs senior leader LK Advani’s consent before taking a final call.

Bihar government effects major administrative reshuffle

Patna, March 16 In a major administrative reshuffle, the Bihar government has transferred as many as 67 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officials, including 29 district magistrates, official sources said here Sunday. “The decision to transfer 67 IAS officials was taken late Saturday night by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar,” a source in the state personnel department said.

The source said that district magistrate of Nalanda, home district of Nitish Kumar, has also been transferred.

The chief minister was reportedly unhappy over the way the district administration handling of the of former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam to the site of the proposed Nalanda International University. Nitish Kumar accompanied Kalam on that visit to the district.

BIHAR on the path of justice

Patna, Feb. 14: Pappu Yadav would probably never forget his brash celebrations at Beur jail, soon after his release in 2004.

Next morning papers splashed news of his “party” in the jail forcing Patna High Court to take suo motu action and order fresh arrest. In 2005 he was arrested again and sent to Tihar jail and since then RJD’s Madhepura MP has been in the premier prison.

Yadav, who was today taken to a special CBI court in a wheelchair, can take heart from the incarceration of fellow RJD Siwan MP, Mohammed Shahabuddin, sentenced to life for two cases involving kidnapping and assault.

Pappu’s arch rival and former Sheohar MP Anand Mohan suffers a worse fate. He was sentenced to death in the G. Krishnaiah murder case. At present, Mohan is lodged in Bhagalpur central jail fasting intermittently to demand the status of a divisional prisoner. Pappu’s “comrade-in-arms” Rajan Tiwari is also in Beur.

JD(U) legislator Munna Shukla and his wife and former MP Lovely Anand, have been sentenced to life in Krishnaiah case. They might be out on bail, but they are within bounds of laws. A fast-track court also convicted former state minister Aditya Singh in connection with a 2006 murder case.

Convictions of Bihar’s famous politicians and lesser-known ones in two years have rattled Bihar politics. While none directly criticises the verdicts, they do find the convictions an “ominous sign”.

But, there are others who laud the move. Bihar Congress spokesperson Premchand Mishra believes it is high time that Bihar parties disallowed “criminals” in politics.

CPM state secretary Vijay Kant Thakur lauds the court verdicts. “Our party had long waited for the Sarkar verdict. Wrong acts catch up with perpetrators sooner than later,” he says. Between January 2006 and May 2007, 11,665 criminals have been convicted through speedy trials. More than 2,500 were sentenced to life and 21 others were awarded death.

New twist in Reshma murder case

Patna, Nov 7: The sensational Reshma murder case which made headlines in Bihar, took a completely new turn after the deceased was identified as Kajal.

Patna SSP Kundan Krishnan said that the body recovered by the police on October 31 was not Reshma's but of one Kajal, daughter of a kerosene dealer of Biharsharif, Ranvir Kumar Arya.

"Her body has been identified by four persons, including her two sisters, Vibha and Tuli," the SSP said.

Kajal's body was handed over to her family members who later cremated it on Monday evening. The Patna police has also arrested her alleged lover.

"On examination of the body, which was neither identified nor claimed as Reshma's, it was found the descriptions given by the her sisters about the tattoo mark and missing finger were correct," the SSP said.

Kajal resided at Anandpuri locality off Boring Canal Road here and worked in a beauty parlour located on Fraser Road.

In fact, the recovery of the body, initially suspected to be that of Reshma's, had created a political storm in the state with Opposition parties accusing the state government for its "failure" to save her life even after she informed the chief minister and senior officials including the DGP, about threat to her life from JD(U) MLA Anant Singh.

The incident was blown up further after Anant Singh allegedly assaulted reporters who had gone to his residence to take his statement on the issue.

Anant Singh was later arrested and is presently in custody.

Murdered Woman Not Reshma Khatoon

As reported by Patnadaily.com

Much to the chagrin of the opposition leaders, the body of the woman that was found in a sack in Patel Nagar a few days ago turned out not to be that of Reshma Khatoon but of one Kajal kumari who was identified by her two sisters Vibha and Megha and other family members on Monday.

While the identity of the killer or killers of Kajal remains a mystery, the opposition's theory of Reshma Khatoon having been murdered by the Janata Dal (U) MLA Anant Singh fell apart when the family members of the victim made a positive identification of the body.

According to the family members, Kajal, the 20-year old daughter of Biharsharif native Ranvir Kumar Arya, lived in Anandpuri area under Srikrishna Puri police station and worked at a beauty parlor on Frazer Road under an assumed name of Payal.

Bolstered by the latest revelation, the Janata Dal (U) leaders blasted the opposition for making up the Reshma story.

"This was a conspiracy hatched by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) to malign the NDA government. No one knows who this Reshma Khatoon is and who is her brother who allegedly had a letter written by her indicating threat on her life by Anant Singh," said party state president Rajiv Ranjan, a.k.a. Lallan Singh.

"First they said the body was that of Reshma. Then they said Reshma was the sister-in-law of a bodyguard of the Chief Minister. They also said this Reshma was the sister-in-law of Anant Singh. Now that the truth has come out, why don't the RJD leaders present this Reshma, or her brother, or these bodyguards to prove their case?" Singh said.

The JD-U leader accused the RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav of fabricating stories "out of sheer frustration" caused by the dismal performance of his recently-concluded 'Chetawani Rally'.

"Immense planning went into making up this story and even media was used to propagate their lies," Singh said.

JD-U national spokesperson Shivanand Tiwari also demanded to know how did the surname 'Khatoon' came to be attached with this Reshma. "This was a well-conceived plan to instigate the members of the minority community that fell flat on the RJD's face. The government, nonetheless, must investigate this matter and bring the culprits to justice," Tiwari said.

Readers reaction to BIHAR BANDH

I think you are right in saying that Bihar Band is not justified because one media person was beaten up...There are several thousand people being beaten up here and there॥

Does it mean that we should all stop working and keep whole country BAND... These politicians call themselves as a Saviour of society and nation and they call band for every small reason to get political mileage...

Do they think about the several crores of rupees of losses due to these Bandhs?? I have been watching news channels right from my childhood....

There used to be specific time in a day when we all used to sit in front of TV to see national and international news.... In recent few years, there has been a significant degradation inequality of many TV news channels....

Few years back I have seen some newspapers coming with a bang in the market by trying to gain some cheap popularity but eventually vanishing in air... Same is going to happen with electronic media also...

There are some TV channels who are constantly busy with black magics,tona-totka, kala jadu, cricketers, movie stars....These channels try to misguide billions of people ofthis country by showing anti science stuffs and trying to convince people about black magic and similar kindof stuff...

I think they should be brought to court for misguiding people of this nation and their license should be seized.... I really get amazed to see their falling standards and I wonder how they prioritize their telecasts i।e what is to show and what not to show and the duration of telecast....

A truck burnt in Ghaziabad and a small fighting between people and police is shown for not less than 12 hours in a day... Movie stars like salman khan and sanjay dutt are a hot cake for many media people... Who the hell is interested to know that whether sanjay or salman ate in jail or not, who came to meet them in jail, why XYZ did not come to meet and when he/she will come to meet,when will they get bail with lots of ifs and buts etc। etc॥

I feel pity for the media and their thinking that people of this country are still in 17th or 18th century and will give importance to these kind of cheap stuffs??...There are thousands of things to show on TV which can be mutually beneficial to the people of this country and media as well....

You all can remember some time back, ISRO Launched one satellite based on cryogenic technology and I was looking to see the Live telecast of this launch ssuccess/failure...To my surprise all channels were busy with Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt( I guess these two stars will decide the fate and future of this nation and nation will grow because of these two stars...

So keep showing news whole day related to these two movie stars) but I was lucky to get one national channel which was telecasting it Live from ISRO, Sriharikota.... This clearly shows the thinking and standard of media of this country.... Then I go back to the basics that why these channels show these kind of stuff whole day??? I got answer from many people saying that what kind of people are existing in media and what is their competence,qualifications and expertise??...

Is quality people of society choosing media as a profession(mostly top class people are preferring Engineering, Medical,Management, Civil Services etc. and similar kind of professions)??? Till the media segment of industry gets real quality people, the scene, quality and standard of media in our country is not going to improve....

They say what kind of standard you can expect from sub standard people(headless chicken in the voice of Ronen Sen-US ambassador )??Isn't it truth that best minds of this country are not choosing media and politics as a profession(A hard bitter truth)-- They say A bunch of sub standard people will show quality stuffs and will guide people of this country?? A big no.... Second reason which is heard is that they are under pressure to keep showing sensational news for better TRPs....

Here again they believe that only bad and dirty news are sensational news and nothing good is happening in this country and good news can not be sensational.... But is it alarming situation?? No, there are still few quality people existing in media sector and they are constantly improving their standards and these are the people who are hope in media sector... Similar thing exists in print media...Many newspapers came and vanished like ashes but Times of India, Statesman etc.are still existing and I have seen no decline in their standard.....

Then a question arises as to why I ampurchasing news papers everyday even though I have access to so many news channels?? The simple reason is that I rely more on these newspapers for information and news rather than on electronic media...If I spend one hour a day with these news papers, Iget lot of valuable informations(reliable and pukka information) and news in just one hour compared to TV channel's news and Information ...

Anil Kumar

Lalu's rally- Sarvesh kumar, A reader expresses his opinion

Good to see huge crowd coming to hear our politicians. Lalu has show his popularity to present government and it is good for Bihar's Janta. We are happy with the wrok done so far by JDU-BJP government. But this strenght show of Lalujee will keep them on toe and I am sure due to peer pressure they will do good job.

I read various news links about this railly and found that he was giving more stress on Narendra Modi (we counter him with Gujrat riots only and not with his work. Although local gujrati's are happy with development work done by Modi), BJP, Dalits, Mushlims, Kayasths, Brahmarshis, Yadavs etc..

Was this rally to increase few more counts in the caste support list? At one hand we see Lalujee for bringing railway in profit and talking great but when it comes to Bihar he lands up dealing caste based politics openly. I am sure IIM-Ahmadabad will honor him again for his open caste based claims.

Hopefully present JDU-BJP government will not carried away and start working on caste based angles rather than development angle.


Sarvesh Kumar/Bangalore

LALU ka "RAILAA "

(courtsey: http://www.bihartimes.com/

As expected after the Tehelka expose railway minister, Lalu Prasad Yadav, divided his time attacking Bihar chief minister, Nitish Kumar, and the Gujarat counterpart, Narendra Modi, in his speech at Chetawani Rally in Patna on sunny, but pleasant, October 28 afternoon.

Demand the arrest of Narendra Modi, the Rashtriya Janata Dal president asked Nitish Kumar as the Sunday crowd in Gandhi Maidan roared. Lalu fully capitalized the sting operation and sought the arrest and subsequent trial of the Gujarat chief minister under Section 302. In between he taunted the Bihar chief minister to distance himself from the Bharatiya Janata Party.
He spliced his speech with the mention of 2002 riots in Gujarat and the failure of the Nitish government in the last two years. He made it a point to single out the spokesman of the Janta Dal (United) to clarify that it was not just a rally of Yadavs, but of Dalits, Muslims, other backward castes, and upper caste people. He once invoked the Dalits and Muslims in the crowd to raise their hands to show their strength. The crowd responded.

Thanking the Kayastha Samaj for good presence in the rally Lalu said that his party stands for reservation to the economic backward section of the upper castes too.

He said that the RJD was even in the favour of Constitutional Amendment in this regard, but this reservation should not in any way impinge on those given to the backward castes.

While highlighting his achievement as the railway minister Lalu Yadav elaborated in detail the failure of the Nitish Kumar government be it in tackling the floods or in saving the life of Dalits or the rise in police atrocities on the people. He made special mention of Aurangzeb of Bhagalpur, who was tied to a police motor cycle and dragged by the mob two months back.

Stating that the countdown of the state government has began he said that the RJD could not wait for five years. He charged the Nitish government with not using the fund allotted by the Centre for the flood relief and exhorted that the state government will have to give account of each and every paise.

He refuted the allegation that he misused the railways for this rally stating that the people came on trucks, tractors, bullock carts and even on foot to the rally. He said that his party had paid for the special trains and said that any political party can hire trains for their rallies.

He also introduced his two sons but quipped that he would not allow them to come to politics. They play cricket. He then asked them to offer pranam to the crowd.
Those who spoke on the occasion are former chief minister, Rabri Devi, Union ministers Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, Akhilesh Singh and others.

As expected after the Tehelka expose railway minister, Lalu Prasad Yadav, divided his time attacking Bihar chief minister, Nitish Kumar, and the Gujarat counterpart, Narendra Modi, in his speech at Chetawani Rally in Patna on sunny, but pleasant, October 28 afternoon.

Demand the arrest of Narendra Modi, the Rashtriya Janata Dal president asked Nitish Kumar as the Sunday crowd in Gandhi Maidan roared. Lalu fully capitalized the sting operation and sought the arrest and subsequent trial of the Gujarat chief minister under Section 302. In between he taunted the Bihar chief minister to distance himself from the Bharatiya Janata Party.

He spliced his speech with the mention of 2002 riots in Gujarat and the failure of the Nitish government in the last two years. He made it a point to single out the spokesman of the Janta Dal (United) to clarify that it was not just a rally of Yadavs, but of Dalits, Muslims, other backward castes, and upper caste people. He once invoked the Dalits and Muslims in the crowd to raise their hands to show their strength. The crowd responded.

Pix: Manish Sinha

Thanking the Kayastha Samaj and Brahmrishi Samaj (Bhumihars) for good presence in the rally Lalu said that his party stands for reservation to the economic backward section of the upper castes too. He said that the RJD was even in the favour of Constitutional Amendment in this regard, but this reservation should not in any way impinge on those given to the backward castes.

While highlighting his achievement as the railway minister Lalu Yadav elaborated in detail the failure of the Nitish Kumar government be it in tackling the floods or in saving the life of Dalits or the rise in police atrocities on the people. He made special mention of Aurangzeb of Bhagalpur, who was tied to a police motor cycle and dragged by the mob two months back.

Stating that the countdown of the state government has began he said that the RJD could not wait for five years. He charged the Nitish government with not using the fund allotted by the Centre for the flood relief and exhorted that the state government will have to give account of each and every paise.

He refuted the allegation that he misused the railways for this rally stating that the people came on trucks, tractors, bullock carts and even on foot to the rally. He said that his party had paid for the special trains and said that any political party can hire trains for their rallies.

He also introduced his two sons but quipped that he would not allow them to come to politics. They play cricket. He then asked them to offer pranam to the crowd.
Those who spoke on the occasion are former chief minister, Rabri Devi, Union ministers Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, Akhilesh Singh and others.

RJD’s Chetawani to Nitish government in Bihar tomorrow

The RJD is planning to embarrass the Nitish government with its massive Chetawani rally, in Patna, on Sunday. The party leaders were confident that the rally would ring the death knell of Nitish government.

WITH THOUSANDS of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supporters already in Patna, the famous Gandhi Maidan in the city is all decked up for tomorrow’s Chetavani Rally being organized against the alleged failures of Nitish Kumar government.

RJD leadership is expecting around ten lakh supporters to hit the Patna streets for pressing the message home.

Senior RJD leader and Patna MP Ram Kirpal Yadav, while talking to merinews said that Chetawani rally is being organized to censure the Nitish government, which has failed on all fronts in Bihar.

The state government has befooled the people of Bihar, alleged Yadav, saying that law and order situation is on the verge of collapse and development work has come to standstill.

People of Bihar have realized that the false nature of Nitish government and this rally will send the message, to either perform or perish, he added.

Commenting on the flood situation which had hit the state hard, Yadav said “Baad mein bihar sarkar bhi beh gayi”, further alleging that the government failed to come to the rescue of the poor people.

People, who are powerful and influential, cornered all the relief material said Yadav, adding that this rally will send the Chetawani to Nitish government that people are fed by its non-performance.

“For the last two months the party cadres have been mobilized to make the rally a success and tomorrow the message will go to the government in an unambiguous manner”, he added.

The roads in Patna meanwhile are witnessing a resurgence of RJD with party hoardings and flags adorning the walls of the main roads and arteries.

Lalita Kumari, a schoolteacher, while talking to merinews said that city has been almost invaded by the RJD workers.

That the rally is being organized on Sunday is a blessing in disguise, said Lalita, adding that there would be a chaos if it happened on a working day.

Being a keen watcher of the political scenario, she informed merinews that huge amount of money is being spent on the political rally by RJD and its supporters. “There are reports in the media that around twenty five trains have been booked by the RJD to bring the supporters from far and wide”, she added.

Political analysts, meanwhile, have said that the rally will revitalize the RJD cadre, as the party needed an event like this to come out of slumber in Bihar. They opine that this was also a preparation for any midterm poll if it ever occurs, though the chances of the same have lessened after UPA government backtracked on the Nuclear deal.

RJD leadership, meanwhile, is upbeat about the Chetawani rally and feels that it will jolt the Nitish Kumar government for its failure to deliver on the promises, which is made during the elections.

Senior RJD leader and Member of Parliament from Khagaria, Rabindra Kumar Rana, in a telephonic conversation said that the Nitish government had ushered ‘jungle raj’ in the state.

The secular fabric of the state which was upheld by RJD is being torn apart by the Nitish government, with people like Pravin Togadia being taken to every part of the state to preach communalism, he allejavascript:void(0)
Publish Postged.

Crime is on the rise and the law and order situation in the state has only worsened. The spate of murders, kidnapping and arson has only increased, he said.

“Why has the government failed to check crime”, he demanded to know, adding that Nitish Kumar owed an answer to people of Bihar.

Corridor Whispers-Sonia's new "sights" in Bihar

Congress president Sonia Gandhi is not sitting idle. She has been eying elections 2007, 2008 and 2009 in various assemblies as well as lok Sabha. Bihar is under her watch list and its tally of 40-Lok Sabha seats is said to be prompting some loud thinking. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar is seen as a potential ally on account of his track record and secular outlook. A former Congress leader now in Janata Dal (U) leader Sadanand Singh is said to be doing the spadework. If everything goes fine, Sonia would consider bringing JD (U) on board the UPA. This would however be possible if current ally and RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav is routed in 15th Lok Sabha.

Bihar’s Exposure to Innovative Governance Practices

The first chapter briefly describes governance experiences in the State of Bihar, explains the concept of governance capacity in Bihar’s context, and illustrates how governance capacity can be dramatically improved.

Chapter 2 briefly reviews global innovations in governance and the evolution of what hascome to be known as New Public Management (NPM) that was initially a response to governance failures in the West, but now has come to be practised widely also in the Third World. NPM is suitable for states like Bihar as it is designed, with appropriate local adaptations, to yield much better performance accountability, citizen service and satisfaction, productivity and quality of public services, and a continuing stream of improvements and innovations.

Download: Bihar's Exposure to Innovative Governance Practices
The first chapter briefly describes governance experiences in the State of Bihar, explains the concept of governance capacity in Bihar’s context, and illustrates how governance capacity can be dramatically improved.

Chapter 2 briefly reviews global innovations in governance and the evolution of what hascome to be known as New Public Management (NPM) that was initially a response to governance failures in the West, but now has come to be practised widely also in the Third World. NPM is suitable for states like Bihar as it is designed, with appropriate local adaptations, to yield much better performance accountability, citizen service and satisfaction, productivity and quality of public services, and a continuing stream of improvements and innovations.

Download Bihars Exposure to Innovative Governance Practices

http://planningcommission.nic.in/aboutus/taskforce/tsk_bbs.pdf


Courtesy: http://planningcommission.nic.in/

Blow for good governance in Bihar

The recent decision of a lower court in Patna to sentence JD(U) leader Anand Mohan Singh and his wife Lovely Anand for the murder of a district magistrate in 1994 is a welcome surprise. Not least because such courageous display of institutional independence is a rare exception in Bihar.

The sentencing of Anand Mohan — given that it comes close on the heels of across-the-spectrum convictions, prison terms and long periods of custody for such notorious gangster-turned-politicos as Munna Shukla (LJP), Mohammed Shahabuddin (RJD), and Pappu Yadav (ex-RJD) — also proves that partisan loyalties are of little consequence now, vis-a-vis Bihar’s institutional functioning. For a state infamous for its degenerate public culture of patronage politics and routine interference at all levels of governance, that is surely a commendable development.

The Nitish Kumar government must be hailed before all else for having transformed Bihar’s political climate so as to enable and encourage such institutional autonomy and fearlessness. Unfortunately, George Fernandes does not seems to share Nitish Kumar’s penchant for non-partisan governance.

He has, in order to outmanoeuvre the Bihar CM in the long-drawn power struggle within the JD(U), come out in support of Anand Mohan. That Fernandes should be indulging in such low-level politics is hardly surprising, though. What is actually more disturbing is that there exists a constituency in Bihar for his arrant nonsense.

The 2005 anti-Lalu verdict in the state was, contrary to popular opinion, not purely a clamour for good governance. The consensus that supports the current dispensation is driven quite a bit by misplaced aspirations of upper castes (mainly Thakurs and Bhumihars) and non-Yadav OBCs to reclaim the traditional privileges they lost to the ascendant Muslim-Yadav elite during Lalu’s (and wife Rabri’s) 15-year-long stint in the state.

The CM’s insistence on interpreting his mandate as one for good governance would succeed in real terms only if he recognises that Bihar’s society is still as fragmented and stratified as before, and then works towards forging a cohesive will for inclusive governance. Only that would prevent his regime, and its slogan of good governance, from being hijacked by retrograde social interests.

State yet not producing babalog

Bihar is unlikely to have its own ‘Rahul Gandhi' in the near future. For, sons of key players of state politics Lalu Prasad, Nitish Kumar and Ram Vilas Paswan have shown practically no interest in stepping into the shoes of their fathers. Their interest lies in Hollywood, cricket and other fields even as their fathers slog it out to keep their mass base intact.

Tall and handsome Chirag carries the air of filmstar and not the computer engineer he is. "I have kept him away from public glare so that I can use him some day," said his father and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan jokingly when asked if his son would join politics.

However, Chirag appeared to have no inclination towards politics. "I do not intend to join politics. At least for the moment," he said. Chirag's future plan goes towards Hollywood. Already, he has been offered lead roles by film producers and directors.

Paswan, too, appears resigned to the fact that his son will join "films". "If Chirag wants to become an actor, I will not oppose it. He is mature enough to take his own decisions," Paswan said.

Lalu Prasad's two sons — Tej Pratap and Tejashwi — have also chosen to remain aloof from politics. The younger son Tejashwi has his interests in cricket and his elder brother loves horse riding. Although they have accompanied their parents in political activities, they stay away from public glare.

About five years ago, during the run-up to a party sponsored rally held in Patna, an over enthusiastic RJD supporter painted a hoarding green to herald Tej Pratap as the ‘yuwa samrath' (king of youths) of Bihar. Lalu and Rabri Devi were furious about their son's name being dragged for a political activity.

However, the RJD chief has used his son's achievements during political speeches. In an election meeting held in Vaishali, he happily chirped that the cricket team led by his son Tejashwi had defeated the team which had the now Bihar's deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi's son as a bowler. He announced that he would repeat the performance of his son in polls. But he lost.

The son of CM Nitish Kumar and an engineering student Nishant is an intensely private person. Most people saw him for the first time on TV when news channels were covering his mother's death. He has never been spotted at public functions attended by his father.

However, the followers of these leaders have not given up hope.

"You can always expect the unexpected to happen," said a senior JD(U) leader pointing out that former CM Jagannath Mishra's son, UK-educated Nitish Mishra, made a late entry into politics. Even Congress MP Nikhil Kumar followed his father former CM S N Sinha's footsteps after retiring as an IPS officer. Bihar has a tradition of sons following their father's footsteps. Followers of political leaders are hopeful that the sons of these leaders will not disappoint them despite their lack of interest in politics for the present.