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It can be called the tale of Lalu and Baalu and the incorrigible journalists. At a recent back-to-back press meet at the Press Information Bureau in the capital, the Railway Minister, Lalu Prasad, was the first to hold forth on the performance of the Railways. This was to be followed by the Shipping and Road Transport Minister, T. R. Baalu, but as usual, Lalu Prasad overshot the allotted time. So, when Baalu arrived, he was made to wait in the adjoining lounge while Lalu and his senior officials were served food at the head table. Despite being informed that the other Minister had arrived, Lalu and his team took their time to polish off the Chole Baturae and Gulab Jaamuns before departing.

Panicky PIB officials announced the arrival of Baalu in the conference hall and requested the assembled journalists to go for lunch later. But journalists being journalists, most of them immediately turned their attention to the food laid out at another end of the hall, even as the Cabinet Minister cooled his heels at the head table.

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