Patna: Former Bihar Chief Minister and HAM(S) president Jeetan Ram Manjhi (R) on Wednesday joined a war of words between Grand Alliance partners and BJP over a former minister and RJD MLA Sudhakar Singh calling Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Shikhandi, a Mahabharat character.
Mr Manjhi, who is a member of the Grand Alliance, on Wednesday threatened the alliance may run into trouble if action against Mr Sudhkar Singh was not taken.
Mr Manjhi told RJD leader and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav said, “The issue of Mr Sudhakar Singh must be looked into by RJD founder Lalu Prasad Yadav, who was trying to escape responsibility. Immediate action should be taken against him by the RJD leadership. The alliance would be in peril if his advice was not accepted.”
RJD vice-president Shivanand Tiwary, a contemporary of Mr Lalu Yadav, too, demanded action against Sudhakar, son of the state president of RJD, Jagdananad Singh. He said by calling Mr Kumar, Shukhandi, a beggar of special status to Bihar, the former minister was using the language of BJP leaders.
JD(U) parliamentary board president Upendra Kushwaha demanded immediate action against Mr Sudhakar Singh, who was weakening the Grand Alliance.
Former deputy chief minister and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi alleged Mr Sudhakar Singh was speaking on behalf of Mr Lalu Yadav.
He claimed since Mr Kumar failed to fulfil his commitment before Mr Lalu Prasad to make Tejashwi the Chief Minister of Bihar, Mr Sudhakar Singh was being used as a weapon against Mr Kumar by the RJD.
Mr Sudhakar Singh did not refuse to oblige the Grand Alliance leaders and reiterated his charges against the CM. He said prohibition has failed in Bihar, there was no good governance, farmers are not getting fertiliser. He reminded Mr Kushwaha of his “Bihar bachao, Nitish hatao” campaign in 2018-19 and padyatra in the State against maladministration by the Nitish Kumar Government.
Mr Sudhakar Singh regretted Mr Kushwaha was engaged in appeasement to Mr Kumar ignoring humiliation to his mother and wife, who were evicted by Mr Kumar in 2009 from Government quarters.
When reporters asked Mr Kumar about Sudhakar Singh's comments, he said, “It is for the leaders of his party to consider action. I ignore such statements.”
His comments indicated the Chief Minister also wanted the RJD leadershjip to take action against its legislator, who was his ministerial colleague till two months back.
As agriculture minister, Mr Sudhakar Singh in his public meetings criticised the officers of his department and admitted large-scale corruption in the Government. On the advice of the RJD president, Mr Kumar had sacked him.
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