Wheat gets going to Bihar, Assam

Youth Congress president Randeep Singh Surjewala told The Indian Express: ‘‘The Bihar government does not become the proprietor of the foodgrain provided by us just because we have been forced to make it the consignee due to bureaucratic procedures involved in the exercise.’’ Youth Congress members would oversee and monitor its free distribution among the people for whom it was meant, he added.

The Congress has its eye on the Assembly polls and Railway Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav is not happy on the pre-poll exercise on his turf. Though an ally at the Centre, Yadav was seen as creating hurdles for Youth Congress in getting the grains through. The despatch has already been delayed by around a month despite repeated telephone calls from Sonia’s political secretary Ahmed Patel, visits by Central Minister Oscar Fernandes and AICC treasurer Moti Lal Vora and Surjewala.