HIGH ON DRAMA

CONTROVERSY WAS Nankiram Kanwar’s constant companion when he was home minister of Chhattisgarh in the last government of the state. He was busy performing a “mahayagna” to “weaken Naxals” when the state witnessed its worst Maoist violence on April 6, 2010. By the time he had finished the ritual, Maoists had killed 76 CRPF jawans in Bastar!

A few months later, Mr Kanwar ascribed astrological reasons to incidents of rapes — blaming the stars of rape victims. He had performed another “mahayagna” to “free” the women of India from the evil influence.

Though he lost the last Assembly elections, much to the reported relief of the BJP state leadership, which hoped that his defeat would at least save the government many blushes. Mr Kanwar, however, has proved the leadership wrong.

He was spotted last week overseeing farming in his village in Korba district. Of course, he “ensured” that the television cameras trailed him along. But his critics in the party described it as yet another “theatrical” stunt to register his protest against the appointment of Dharamlal Kaushik as state BJP president.