Raining vengeance

A long-simmering rivalry between two powerful ministers in Chhattisgarh, Brijmohan Agrawal and Rajesh Munat, spilled in the open at the state’s foundation day celebrations and global investors’ meet. Agrawal, who holds the culture and public works department portfolios, was ignored during the preparations for the events, which were supervised and monitored by Industry Minister Munat. The culture minister was not even consulted when it came to inviting artistes for the cultural programmes. When the stage was all set to inaugurate the state’s 12th foundation day ceremony, however, unseasonal rains disrupted a much-anticipated performance by Bollywood actor Kareena Kapoor. Later, in the corridors of power in Raipur, the joke doing the rounds was that the rain gods obliged Agrawal, who happens to hold the portfolio of department of religious affairs as well.