Bhaiyya first day first show a hit

While Bhaiyya said he would start meeting officials from tomorrow, nearly a dozen of them were waiting outside his office for appointments. But the new Minister for Food and Civil Supplies maintained, ‘‘Aaj mera first day, first show hai. Kal se officers ki class lena shooroo karta hoon (Today is my first day first show. I will start calling the officers from tomorrow).’’

‘‘He has come to the office for the first time today and people have already started pouring in,’’ said Kailash Nath, the minister’s PA. Bhaiyya came from Pratapgarh late last night to attend the Assembly session which began today.

Interestingly, six BJP legislators, including Myankeshwar Singh and Anil Paswan, were seen by Bhaiyya’s side throughout the Assembly session and after. Myankeshwar virtually manned the rear gate to the minister’s chamber, allowing entry to only ministers and select persons.

Earlier, when BSP Legislature Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya raised objections to his presence in the House despite having been in jail on POTA charges, Bhaiyya replied: ‘‘Aap log ghar jaiye aur matam maniye, lekin hamein celebrations karne de (You go home and mourn but let us to celebrate).’’ Speaking about former CM Mayawati, during whose regime he was booked under POTA, the minister said: ‘‘I have no ill will against Mayawati today. My fight was to topple her government; now she is gone but I don’t have anything her.’’

Bhaiyya was all praises for the SP and the Chief Minister. He said he would continue to strengthen the SP through his political activities, and added: ‘‘Mulayam and Amar Singhji came to my support when everybody (read BJP) left me’’.