Sports over politics

Bihar Finance Minister Abdul Bari Siddiqui (pictured) is expected to quit the Cabinet post in Nitish Kumar's government and devote himself full-time to sports administration. The senior politician is an avid badminton player and flew to Rio de Janeiro as national vice-president of the Indian Badminton Association at the Olympic Games. He has represented the Bihar Cricket Association in the meetings of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Rashtriya Janata Party (RJD) leaders have started speculating about the real cause of Siddiqui's frustration with politics. "He is finance minister without charge of the commercial tax department," a senior leader said. "He should have been the deputy chief minister but Laluji (Lalu Prasad, president of the RJD, a partner in the ruling coalition) gave the job to his son."