Laloo’s stakes even higher
Brothers-in-law, Pappu Yadav rebel
Satish Misra
Tribune News Service

Begusarai, February 5
The RJD has a lot at stake in the second phase of elections as Bihar’s ruling party has 41 seats in the outgoing Assembly in this region.

In the 86 seats where the electorate has to exercise its franchise on February 15, RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav would have to work overtime to retain his political territory as not only is the anti-incumbency factor becoming visible, but also infighting within his own Yadav community is likely to take a heavy toll on the party’s electoral fortune.

The RJD received a setback today when its MP from Madhepura Rajesh Ranjan, alias Pappu Yadav, came out against Mr Yadav for giving ticket to BJP sympathisers and said he had asked his supporters to work against the RJD candidates.

Pappu Yadav, talking to the media in the court where he was brought for a case, said his wife and Lok Sabha MP from Saharsa Ranjeeta Ranjan would be working against the RJD. Though the real reason for Pappu Yadav’s rebellion is denial of ticket to his followers, his stand against the RJD at this juncture is going to affect the RJD.

Pappu Yadav’s opposition in Madhepura, which is considered to be his stronghold having 20 per cent votes from the community, will play a crucial role in over a dozen Assembly segments of the Madhepura and Saharsa Lok Sabha constituencies. The RJD had won eight seats in the 2000 Assembly elections.

The RJD supremo’s troubles do not end here as even his brothers- in-law have turned rebels.

Chief Minister Rabri Devi’s brother Sadhu Yadav, who is the RJD MP from Gopalganj, has fielded his wife Indira from the Gopalganj Assembly seat after being denied ticket by Mr Laloo Yadav.

Ms Rabri Devi’s elder brother Prabhu Nath Yadav has also filed his nomination from Mirganj as an Independent.

While these are specific examples of the growing disenchantment among his supporters, rebels, particularly from his own Ahir community, have filed their nominations in almost every constituency.

The RJD chief, whose political invincibility was due to the support he enjoyed from Muslims and Yadavs, has reasons to worry as both components may not oblige.

“While Muslim votes are getting split among the RJD, the LJP and the Congress, the Yadav community is no more the sole fiefdom of Laloo Yadav,” a former minister in the Rabri Cabinet said after being denied ticket.

Confirming the trend, a Begusarai schoolteacher Ram, Narayan Yadav, said: “The community has not benefited from the 15-year-rule of the RJD. Only a handful of Yadavs like the Chief Minister’s family and Laloo Yadav’s family have benefited.”

“There is considerable resentment within the community and this is going to make life miserable for Lalooji,” a local journalist Rajkamal Yadav said in the Bakhri Assembly constituency.

In the district of Begusarai, which has eight Assembly seats, the RJD and its partner, the CPI, have seven MLAs in the present Assembly. The lone seat of Begusarai was won by the BJP in the 2000 Assembly elections.

The task to retain the seven seats in the face of lack of development appears to be difficult as both Congress and the LJP are trying to woo the minorities.

HC order may become issue; Judge seeks transfer
Tribune News Service

Patna, February 5
Questioning the use of a public address system by a nearby mosque by the Patna High Court yesterday has resulted in dharnas and demonstration by the minority community. The incident is threatening to snowball into an election issue.

The trouble began during midday namaz when azan (call) was given on loudspeakers and a Bench of the high court comprising acting Chief Justice Mr Justice Nagendra Rai and Mr Justice R. S. Garg, which was in session, took notice to it and questioned the use of loudspeakers despite an undertaking by the mosque authorities not to use the public address system while the court was in session.

A few years ago, the court had directed that the public address system would not be used during the court proceedings till 4 pm.

The muajin who gave the call for prayers was brought to the police station and the rumours soon spread about his arrest.

Within a short time, hundreds of Muslims blocked traffic for hours, a police official said.

A few of them went to the police station and raised slogans and others sat in the middle of a road and offered namaz.

They demanded his release and permission to use a loudspeaker for azan.

The muajin was brought to the court and set free but the demonstration continued in front of the court and some demonstrators gave a call on the public address system.

Observers feel that this incident would be used by rival political parties to mobilise the minority community.

Meanwhile, Mr Justice Garg, against whom some demonstrators levelled charges of acting in a partisan manner, has gone public saying that he finds such accusations unacceptable and would urge the Supreme Court to transfer him.

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Administrative work goes for a six
Kulwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service

Karnal, February 5
More than 11 weeks of election activities in Haryana from the date of the issuance of the poll notification on December 16 has inconvenienced the public as administrative work has been affected due to the model code of conduct.

The attention of administrators had been diverted to the implementation of the code. A day after the voting, most of the administrative officials, including the District Magistrate and the SP, did not turn up in their offices.

Hundreds of people who had come for the redress of their grievances, had to return in vain.

“The imposition of the code right from the poll notification and even after voting has affected the functioning of the administration,” a senior administrative officer said.

The long period between the date of voting, counting and the completion of the poll process was unnecessary, he said, adding that “it causes anxiety to all sections of society, particularly students who are preparing for the annual examinations.”

“The long period is not justified for a common man whose attention has been diverted from his routine work,” Mr Rajinder Singh, a local resident, said.

As per information from the DM's office, hundreds of applications pertaining to arms licences, widow and old age pensions etc were lying pending at various levels.

Work was also affected as DDPOs, BDPOs, City magistrates, SDMs and tehsildars had been put on special poll duty.

In hundreds of civil cases pending before these officials across the district, the clerical staff extended the dates of hearing, thereby delaying the process of justice.