JD-U outside Bihar ‘unhappy’ with Nitish

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 27

The sudden change of sides in Bihar affected by Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar left many members of the party sullen and in a quandary over future course of action.

While party MP and Kerala unit chief MP Veerendra Kumar came out openly against the decision to align with the BJP, similar voices of protest were being registered with senior leader and former president Sharad Yadav.

Besides Kumar, party MP Ali Anwar (Bihar) met at Yadav’s residence here suggesting that he take a view from various party units and formulate a position over the next two days, party general secretary Javed Raza told The Tribune.

“Many leaders have been calling up Sharad Yadav and registering their views against the decision and at the meeting this evening, it was decided that he would speak to state unit chiefs,” he said, adding the Bihar Chief Minister did not discuss the matter even with members of the national executive.

On his part, former Union Minister Veerendra Kumar expressed “shock” over party chief Nitish Kumar’s decision to align with the BJP and said the state unit would not follow the Chief Minister into the NDA fold, “no matter the price” it may have to pay. He even offered to resign from his Rajya Sabha seat.

“As far as Kerala is concerned, we will never become part of the JD(U) represented by Nitish Kumar. Future course of action will be decided after the state council meeting,” he told reporters here. Separately, the Tamil Nadu unit disapproved of the decision. “The attitude of Nitish Kumar is high-handed and undemocratic,” state union secretary general D Rajagopal said in a statement. He added Kumar did not discuss the issue in the national executive before taking the unilateral decision.

Lalu blames Nitish for CBI, ED raids 

Nitish has joined hands with BJP to ensure raids by the CBI, ED and Income Tax on RJD leaders and my family just to malign me. He is an ungrateful person and an opportunist. He has not only betrayed the mandate of the people of Bihar, which was against the communal forces, but also the people of India. Before 2015 polls when he sensed that he could not win on his own, he came to seek my help as he knew that RJD had a strong base among the minorities and the backward section of society. —Lalu Prasad, RJD Supremo

Na na karte pyar: Akhilesh mocks

Na na karte pyar tumhi se kar baithe, karna tha inkar magar ikrar tumhi se kar baithe. (song is from 1965 Bollywood film ‘Jab Jab Phool Khile’) Nitish Kumar could not resist separation from his former ally. —Akhilesh Yadav, Samajwadi Party Supremo