With more party MlAs now having come out attacking the party leadership and former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, crisis in the ruling JD(U) on Friday deepened further. At least four party legislators held a separate meeting and claimed that over three dozen disgruntled MlAs were in constant touch with them.
Earlier to douse the fire of rebel among the party leaders, State JD(U) chief Basistha Narayan Singh on Thursday had dissolved the State executive of the party. However, the move appeared to have no impact on the growing dissension among the party leaders.
As many as four party MlAs — Poonam Devi, Madan Sahni, Ravindra Rai and Gyanendra Singh Gyanu — held a separate meeting at the residence of Poonam Devi and claimed that at least three dozen party MlAs were in constant touch with them.
The rebel party leaders even attacked Nitish, saying he has been surrounded by sycophants and has become full of arrogance. “The sycophants have hijacked the party and the JD(U) today has become a party of deserters,” charged Devi.
She also slammed the inclusion of party leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias lallan into the Cabinet after being nominated as an MlC. “Pehle to unko chunav harne ke baad MlC banaya jata hai aur baad mei malaidar ministry bhi de di jati hai … yeh bardast nahi hoga jinhone party ke liye apna khoon-pasina bahaya hai,” she further charged.
She also claimed to be in touch with party president Sharad Yadav, who have assured them to look into the issue soon. Meanwhile, another party MlA Madan Sahni attacked party Rajya Sabha member and close aide of the former Chief Minister, RCP Sinha. “He (RCP Sinha) cannot get even 10 votes but controls the party,” wondered Madan Sahni.
Another disgruntled party MlA Ravindra Rai alleged that their phones were being tapped by those in the Government. “We’ve written to the Union Home Minister that ever since we’ve expressed our reservation against the present functioning of the Government, our phones are being tapped … our secrecy is being intruded,” charged Rai.
Party leader and MlA from Barh, Gyanendra Singh ‘Gyanu’ who was among the first to raise the banner of revolt was also present in the meeting. Gyanu, as the convener of the party disciplinary committee, had earlier had written to the party chief asking him to expel leaders like lallan Singh, RCP Sinha and Sanjay Singh Gandhi, all close to Nitish, from the party.
Party State spokesperson Sanjay Singh too had resigned from the party post while protesting the inclusion of party leaders in the Manjhi Cabinet expansion. Sources said Singh, Party MlC, himself was eyeing a ministerial berth.
Meanwhile, in an apparent bid to douse the fire of increasing revolt in the State executive committee was dissolved on Thursday. State party president Basistha Narayan Singh said he too had offered to quit but it was turned down by Sharad Yadav.
Party sources said that altogether 50 MlAs have sent a joint memorandum to Yadav, while protesting against the deserters included in the Manjhi Cabinet.
Party MlA from Sahibganj in Muzaffarpur Raju Kumar Singh had earlier said that they have sent the memorandum explaining how the party was rewarding those leaders who were responsible for the party’s defeat in the State Assembly polls, but they were being made Ministers in the Cabinet expansion at the cost of “old and loyal party leaders”.
“This is hurting the party’s image and is painful for the leaders who have had spilled out their sweat and blood for the party for long,” said Singh.Similarly, Party MlA from Islampur in Nalanda ruled that he even could not meet his leader Nitish since the lok Sabha polls. “Crime has increased in the district as a result of misgovernance,” he said.
But, it was another dissident MlA Izhar Alam who summed up the inner rebellion in the party with personal ambition. “Hum to wafa karke bhi tanha rah gaye (despite being loyal to the party, I was left alone)”.