His red-beacon fitted ambassador car, which used to criss-cross the roads of Patna, was nowhere to be seen.
The trappings of power have suddenly vanished for the NDA ministers ever since the model code of conduct came into force following the announcement of Bihar Assembly polls by the Election Commission.
And the first person to forgo the privileges was Nitish, who dispensed with his Ambassador car, and settled for a bullet-proof Scorpio.
Known for strictly abiding by the rule book, Nitish made sure that a private vehicle was made available to him, so that he does not invite criticism from any quarters, including the EC.
Following the footsteps of Nitish, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi too has stopped moving in official car. Modi, who also holds the portfolio of Finance and Urban Development, is also not actively clearing files. “Though the official vehicle is with me, I am moving in a private car. Besides, I have put a complete ban on policy decisions related to my departments,” said Modi.
Modi’s move follows Nitish’s instruction to Chief Secretary Anup Mukherjee to deal with routine matters at his (CS) own level. “Bring only those files to me which are of utmost importance. And if it is related to policy matters, then wait for the next government,” Nitish is reported to have told Mukherjee.
Such is the phobia of the model code of conduct that even RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, who used to interact with the probable candidates at the official residence of Rabri Devi, recently shoed them away, and asked them to meet him only at the RJD office.
