'Suitable boy' falls under matrimonial advertisement spell

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi RANCHI Saturday, August 30, 2008

Wanted a fair, slim, beautiful, well-educated bride good at household works, age around 30 years for the youngest and handsome minister of the Jharkhand Government.

Though this may look like an ordinary matrimonial advertisement, but the hard fact is that when it comes to getting a dream bride, even the so-called "the suitable boy" and most-eligible bachelor of Jharkhand, Bhanu Pratap Shahi, the youngest Minister in the Soren Government, leaves no chance to flaunt himself through the publicity channels.

Ask him a simple question, "When will you marry mantriji," and he would blush like any other groom. The dimples add grace to his smile. Bhanu Pratap Shahi has been holding important portfolios like labour, health and family welfare, hence he got little time for marriage, a close associates of mantriji say that Shahi works overtime, till late night to ensure the people of the State remain healthy.

While his friend Sudesh Mahto got married when he was the Home Minister during the Arjun Munda Government, Shahi has still kept people guessing about his dream girl. However, the family of mantriji have tried their best to persuade him and even finalised his marriage last year, but negotiation failed to fructify into marriage.

Then the mantriji is learnt to be disinterested in marriage, but the scene is different now. His close aide Sanjay Jha confided that this year mantriji would certainly tie the knot. "We will publish matrimonial in the newspaper for a suitable bride for him," said Jha. A close aid of Shahi said that he wanted a beautiful and educated bride for himself for which the search is going on.

Probably the mantriji would have no choice but to marry this time. His fans and supporters hope that mantriji would cheer his father who is learnt to be angry with his high profile son, and Shahi would hopefully find time for marriage.