PICTURE SPEAK

BEING COUNTED: The first phase of polls was peaceful Unpredictability is synonymous with Bihar. Three different exit polls conducted on behalf of TV channels after the abnormally peaceful first round of voting in 57 of the state's 243 constituencies only confirm this. While each alliance is claiming victory for itself, what the polls agree upon is that Ram Vilas Paswan, who refused to play the kingmaker after the previous poll, is likely to come a cropper. With three rounds of polling left, there is still some hope.

TEASING GAMES
Mock Fight

Everything is fair in war and election. LJP supremo Ram Vilas Paswan has fielded his driver against former chief minister Rabri Devi from Raghopur constituency. This is being seen as an attempt to tease Rabri but she refuses to take notice of Pramod Kumar Singh, a Yadav by caste and a Paswan confidant. "We will throw Paswan's bungalow (LJP symbol) into the Ganga," she quips.

The cost

The two assembly polls-in February and now-are estimated to put a burden of Rs 250 crore on the exchequer of the state.

The business loss would be to the tune of Rs 600 crore as all trucks stop coming to the state during this period.

Banks, schools, colleges and government offices look deserted as four lakh employees have been drafted for poll duties.

Over 90,000 police and paramilitary personnel are being deployed. The state will pay Rs 20 crore for Central military forces alone.

LALU'S LONG MARCH
Twists and turns

Lalu's 15 years of rule in Bihar have been marked with ups and downs. At the height of his popularity in the mid-1990s he talked of social justice. Today, aware of his declining influence, he is promising economic development also.

On October 8, 1990, he held the Mandal rally in Patna, forging my combination. It led to the social justice campaign.

In 1991, he opened charwaha vidyalayas (schools for shepherds) to empower Dalits. This was recommended by unesco to other states.

Organised kapda-phad (cloth tearing) holi, held darbar and arranged folk programmes at his residence in 1995 and after.

In July 1997, surrendered before the CBI in connection with the fodder scam but before going to jail, foisted his wife Rabri Devi as the chief minister.

Kidnapping for ransom became a booming industry in the state. Anarchy spread and Bihar was termed a "rogue state".

Hit by a series of scams. The fodder, bitumen, medicine, dhoti-sari and uniform scams are under CBI investigation.

Rabri lost power to Nitish Kumar in 2000 but returned to the throne with help from the Congress.

In May 2003, he organised a huge lathi rally and brandished the stick to drive out "communal forces". The RJD swept the 2004 general elections.

Lalu lost power in 2005. The February elections threw up a hung assembly. After a brief President's rule, he is back in the poll arena with a renewed vigour.

POLL JINGLE
Whack and will

Laloo Bhai Bihari
Went up the pahari
To fetch a bail for court order
Laloo fell down
And lost his crown
But Rabri reigned thereafter

Crossing party line

Union mos Jayaprakash Yadav's brother Vijay Prakash is contesting on a Congress ticket, while the RJD has fielded his mother Shanti Devi.

LJP leader Narendra Singh's son Abhay Singh is contesting on a JD(U) ticket.

The BJP has fielded two sons: C.P. Thakur's son Vivek Thakur and Hukumdeo Narain Yadav's son Ashok Yadav.

Former chief minister Jagannath Mishra's son Nitish Mishra is contesting on a JD(U) ticket again.

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