The situation reached such a pass that on Friday the upset chief minister had to publicly rebuke the local Janata Dal (United) leader, Veena Kushwaha, who openly accused the official machinery of looting public money and indulging in rampant corruption.
Political observers are surprised by repeated and vociferous protest by the people wherever the chief minister goes. After all he won three-fourths majority only 13 months back. If the resentment against the state government is so strong how is it that he won the elections hands down?
But the chief minister faced such protest even during his earlier Yatras. Yet the NDA won 2009 Parliament and 2010 Assembly elections with thumping majority? A former CPI (ML) MLA, who wished not to be quoted, said that perhaps the people’s anger subsides and do not get translated into vote against him because the chief minister provides ample opportunity to them to ventilate their grievances.
Social thinkers are of the view that resentment is very much palpable against the regime but there is no political alternative to cash in on. Even the media is not giving proper coverage to the rampant loot of public money in the name of development. Therefore, the people are left with no other option but to protest.

Whatever be the media hype the state government’s move to confiscate property of corrupt officers, enactment of new Lokayukta law, Right to Information Act and Right to Service Act have instead angered the people because by doing so the chief minister is just playing to the gallery.

Though the urban elite or the real beneficiaries of the present regime see everything as all right the truth is that loot of money in MNREGA, Indira Awas Yojana, Old Age Pension, Public Distribution System etc––all are centrally-funded schemes––have badly disillusioned the poor urban and rural masses. As now there is nobody left to listen to their anger they deem it fit to protest before none else but the chief minister, may be with little success.

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