It was that edgy silence that spoke the loudest at Laloo Prasad Yadav’s Rail Bhavan office today.Staging an entry here after two months, two major train accidents—and of course post-Bihar—Railways was the last thing on an ill-tempered Laloo’s mind. Keeping his staff on its toes this morning, Laloo wanted all statements made by the Election Commission on the elections, and the list of ministers in Nitish Kumar’s Cabinet.With the Railway Minister were two trusted loyalists—Company Affairs Minister Prem Chand Gupta and former minister of state for water resources Jai Prakash Yadav, who had to quit ahead of the elections after a criminal case was registered against him.Between cups of tea and Laloo’s favourite khaini, the RJD boss tried to make sense of the stunning body blow—and probably the realisation that he did not have proprietary rights over Bihar any longer. And all this while, the light outside his chamber was switched off, indicating that the Railway Minister was not in. ‘‘Saheb is inside, but resting. He is in a very bad mood. He is shouting at everybody,’’ said a grim-faced member of his personal staff. Apparently, Laloo was fuming that his two ‘‘small requests’’ were taking so long to be met.‘‘Though all TV channels have been showing the names of those in Nitish’s Cabinet, they are not on any websites. I can take down the names on a sheet of paper and send it to the Minister, but I don’t want to take any chances. If they were on a website, I can just give him a printout, which would be more authentic. And my neck will not be on the chopping block,’’ said a staffer.Another harried staff-member was busy downloading press releases issued by the EC from the official website. ‘‘You cannot meet the Minister. I will not even ask him. I’ve been scolded enough since morning,’’ he said.Not that there were many waiting to meet Laloo today. Just a few reporters and some party members. And most returned disappointed. Even Laloo’s confidante, OSD Sudhir Kumar, was not spared. He took some pending files to Laloo for approval, but returned soon after having got a piece of the Minister’s mind instead.Some major decisions awaiting Laloo’s nod include:• Filling the crucial posts of five General Managers• Finalising the catering policy, which has been opposed by the Left• Firming up a policy on privatisation of container services before February 2006, to be announced in Railway Budget.However, as the day wore out, Sudhir Kumar got down to finalise the agenda for the Railway Minister’s meetings this month-end. On November 28, the Minister would review projects of East Central and North-East Frontier Railways that criss-cross Bihar. On November 29, he is slated to review the functioning of Railways PSUs—RITES, Concor, IRCON, etc. After all, he has to protect his remaining turf.But by evening, Laloo was set to fly back to Patna. ‘‘He has to vacate 1, Anne Marg,’’ said an aide. ‘‘Fifteen years is a long time and it’ll take him a while.’’
