A case in point

Earlier this week, Union Minister for Power Piyush Goyal launched a key scheme for rural electrification by deploying about 300 volunteers in remote locations to monitor its progress. While the minister connected with the states via a video conferencing link, Bihar was missing, as the model code of conduct for the Assembly elections in the state had kicked in. Interestingly, a majority of the volunteers belonged to Bihar. The minister was visibly amused, clarifying that the choice of volunteers had nothing to do with elections in that state as they had been chosen and trained months in advance. Asked if he had a time frame in mind to present the key reforms in the power sector before the Cabinet, the minister said, "Very soon". When some journalists asked if "very soon" meant "after the Bihar elections", Goyal quipped that the government of the day did not depend on elections to push through reforms, citing the event as a case in point.