In charge of Bihar’s administration after the fall of Rabri Devi’s government, Governor Buta Singh has now approached her husband, Railway Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav, for a favour. In an official letter dated July 15 from the Patna Raj Bhavan, Buta Singh has asked Laloo to help transfer an Indian Railway Stores Service (IRSS) officer to Mumbai as Controller of Stores, Central Railway. And move the incumbent to make way for him. With Bihar under President’s Rule and Buta Singh in-charge of the state till the Assembly elections later this year, the Governor’s letter to Laloo Prasad, who’s also the RJD chief, raises questions of gubernatorial propriety. This is what Buta Singh’s letter to Laloo Prasad states: ‘‘Shri Vijay P Meshram, an IRSS officer in SAG, Chief Materials Manager, South Eastern Railway, presently on study leave upto 15th July, 2005, has worked for more than 20 years on S E Railway at Calcutta, Kharagpur, Tatanagar, Bhubaneswar, Vishakapatnam, Raipur, Nagpur and for 3 years at Dew, Patiala. All batchmates of Shri Meshram and even his juniors have been placed as COS at various places. ‘‘I shall be thankful if Shri Meshram is kindly posted as Controller of Stores, Central Railway, Mumbai vide Shri Girish Bhatnagar, who may be posted as AGM, Central Railway, Mumbai which has now fallen vacant.’’
