Recoil of the Shotgun

Shatrughan Sinha seems to think that a political career can be a cameo role. So after blowing hot and cold, he is active again—and clamouring for a place in the party limelight. Sinha has never been tired of showing a bit of attitude towards his party bosses but this time he was on the receiving end. Sinha wanted to campaign in the Gujarat elections, but Chief Minister Narendra Modi told him it was not necessary. Sinha had embarrassed the party during the last Bihar assembly elections when he claimed the party had fielded candidates with criminal antecedents and had stayed away from campaigning. His enthusiasm this time round can be explained—his Rajya Sabha tenure is coming to an end soon. After two full terms for a total of 12 years in the Upper House, and given Bihar’s caste matrix, he is not indispensable. Only, Shotgun is not giving up so easily.