Even as Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi is away and likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday, battle lines are drawn in ruling JD(U) here with critics and supporters of the Chief Minister sharpening attack on each other. What is more interesting that Manjhi is receiving support from the Opposition BJP as former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi alleging that some JD(U) functionaries at the instigation of former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar are humiliating a Mahadalit Chief Minister.
A faction of JD(U) loyal to Nitish, attacked Manjhi for visiting the house of RJD supremo lalu Prasad’s controversial brother-in-law Anirudha Prasad alias Sadhu Yadav to relish dahi and chura on Friday and questioned the CM’s pledge for carrying ahead Nitish’s ‘sushasan’ (good governance). Party spokesman Neeraj Kumar dished out list of criminal cases Sadhu is reportedly involved. A furious Sadhu has threatened to slap a defamatory suit against the JD(U) functionary.
Neeraj’s statement also angered Manjhi supporter Ministers, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh said, “Is Sadhu Yadav a dacoit of ChambalIJ It is not fair to suggest that the Chief Minister seek permission from somebody for his movements.” RJD leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui reminded when Sadhu went to meet Narendra Modi in Ahmedabad, the State Government led by Nitish was a part of NDA. RJD MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav also rushed to support Manjhi. He said there is conspiracy to weaken the forces of the social justice and blamed road construction Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh lalan for insult of the Chief Minister.
“The JD(U) has no moral right to humiliate Manjhi on pretext of his visiting Sadhu Yadav. There are many leaders in JD(U) who have criminal, antecedents and they visit Nitish. The former Chief Minsiter has made a roadmap to weaken and mentally torture Manjhi through his loyalist Ministers and spokesmen,” said Sushil Modi.
The three Ministers on whom JD(U) spokesman Ajay Alok had mounted vitriolic attack on Saturday and asked them to resign and join BJP have also retaliated. Narendra Singh said he does not recognize Alok and has spoken to party chief Sharad Yadav who assured to take action against such statements. Rural development Minister Nitish Mishra said, "If he is a party spokesman he should speak with care. I appeal to the party to put a brake on such statements otherwise it will only hurt the interest of the party.” Education Minister Brishen Patel said he would prefer not to speak on such irresponsible statements.
Senior politician and Nitish Mishra’s father Jagnnath Mishra was shocked over the happenings in the JD(U). “The party spokesmen are irrelevant before the leader of the legislature party,” he said. However, there has been no contradiction of the acidic statements of Neeraj and Alok from any top leader of the party. But one thing has become amply clear that all is not well in the JD(U) and much infighting would spill out in the coming days much before the process of the merger of the Janata Parivar parties start.