When a senior journalist got a taste of power—by smoking a cigarette earlier puffed by Bhupinder Singh Hooda, just before he took oath as Haryana CM.

Gustakhi Maaf Haryana-Pawan Kumar Bansal

From book of Sushil Manav,s book “The pulse of Haryana polity”.Proximity to politicians gives journalists an insight into their personal lives,their foibles and weaknesses.In 2005 ,when Bhupinder Hooda trumped Bhajan lal to the CM’s position,Manav found himself at Chandigarh’s Picaddily hotel just before Hooda was to take oath.

Laid out at the bed of the hotel was a white – kurta- pyjama,a chunridar- kurta and an achkan placed there by senior Congressman Venod Sharma ,owner of the hotel.”Do I ever wear an achkan?”Hooda remarked,while asking Yoginder Gupta.a senior journalist, to light a cigarette for him.Manav recalls :At that time, Hooda was near a chain smoker though he quit the habit after becoming CM.

After taking a few puffs,he handed the cigarette to Gupta,who brought to his lips with a grin. Dekhen chief minister ka nasha kitna hota hai,quipped Gupta “Tailpiece. During CM of Hooda Vinod Sharma enjoyed all the powers but later on their relationship got strained.