This is third time Anil Sharma has 'offered' a finger to a local deity to 'express happiness' at Nitish's victory.
As Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar took oath of office for the third consecutive term, it was time again for 45-year-old Anil Sharma to chop off one of his fingers, a practice he has been following since Nitish was voted to power for the first time.
Sharma has already offered two of his fingers to 'Goraia Baba' -- a local deity -- to express his 'joy' at Nitish becoming the CM. This time again, Sharma, a resident of Vaina village in Jehanabad district of Bihar, 'happily' chopped off a finger as Nitish was sworn-in at a historic function at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, amid the presence of a galaxy of top political leaders from across the country.
However, one may think that Nitish's loss could have saved Sharma's fingers, but it would have cost him something more precious. "I would have committed suicide if Nitish was not returned to power this time," said Sharma.
Sharma's 'way of expressing his happiness' has made him a household name in Jehanabad district, about 50 km from Patna, with many terming his act as 'sheer madness'.
Sharma began offering his fingers at the local deity's temple in 2005, when Nitish became chief minister for the first time. He followed suit in 2010 when the Janata Dal-United leader returned to power.
The recent victory of the Grand Alliance in Bihar took Sharma's count to three. He was later treated at Kako primary health centre in the district.
Given his unique way of 'expressing happiness', Sharma's well-wishers must be thankful that he is only a fan of Nitish and not of somebody like Sikkim's Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, who was sworn-in as the CM for the fifth consecutive term last year.
Image: Nitish Kumar is sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Bihar during a ceremony at Gandhi Maidan in Patna on Friday. Photograph: PTI Photo
