Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar got another jolt on Friday when his close associate and MlC Devesh Chandra Thakur decided to part ways with the JD(U).
Thakur told mediapersons that he had decided to contest the upcoming State Council poll as an Independent candidate. “Now I want to come out of the cage and do not want myself to confine with one political party as I’ve friends from all stream of social and political life,” Thakur said. He has been the English face of the JD(U) on national news channels.
Though he denied that he would join any other political party now, but said that such issues could be addressed later on. “For the time now I’m saying that I’ll contest the State Council poll independently,” he said. The buzz in political corridor of the JD(U) is that Thakur first wanted nomination for the Rajya Sabha seat but when that was denied he wished to contest the upcoming lok Sabha poll from Sheohar. After the JD(U) did not agree with that, he decided to part ways with Nitish.
“Even in cages the birds survive but they wish to come out of it…so now I too want to come out of the cage,” he told mediapersons while participating in the State legislative Council which started from Friday.
Thakur had a tete-e-tete with Nitish Kumar in the CM’s chamber inside the State Assembly before coming out to declare his decision. But, he refused to make any comment on Kumar. Are you not happy with the way CM runs the party or functionsIJ “It’s not my habit to criticise a person with whom I have spent my time...My personal and social relations with Nitish will remain as it has been,” he said.
Meanwhile in another tremor of sort, JD(U) leader and MlC Maha Chander Singh, who recently deserted the Congress party and joined the JD(U), declared he would contest the upcoming lok Sabha poll from Munger constituency.
“Yes, I’ve conveyed my wish to Nitish Kumar. Now, I wish to serve my own people at the place where I was born,” he told the mediamen outside the State legislative Assembly. Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias lallan Singh, a close aide and party colleague of Nitish Kumar currently represent the upper caste dominated Munger constituency.
“Now if Nitish Kumar will field Maha Chander Singh from Munger he would have to deny party ticket to lallan Singh else Maha Chander Singh, like others, too will come out of his flock,” said a JD(U) leader.
But, the JD(U) leaders are putting brave faces on such uncalled for developments taking place in the party. “The party has not decided tickets on lok Sabha yet…so, Maha Chander Singh has just presented his wish to contest from Munger…nothing else,” said JD(U) leader party MlC Neeraj Singh.
The Opposition is gloating over the development. “All these developments taking place in JD(U) are clear signals that all is not well with the party and everyone wants to jump out of the sinking ship,” said BJP leader Giriraj Singh.
Earlier, JD(U) MlA and Minister Praveen Amanullah had quit the party to join the AAP and party MlA Ramai Ram had announced to contest the lok Sabha poll from Hajipur reserved constituency “at all cost”.