Congress throws its weight behind Nitish

Speed Post News Network

Patna: The Congress Party on Tuesday said that those describing Nitish Kumar as `unfit’ to hold the post of chief minister of Bihar were free to leave the Grand Alliance government. Throwing his weight behind CM Nitish Kumar, BPCC chief and state education minister Ashok Chaudhary said that the grand alliance partners had chosen Nitish Kumar as their chief inisterial candidate much before the 2015 assembly elections.

Chaudhary was reacting to the recent statements of  RJD vice – presidents Mohammad Shahabuddin and Raghuvansh Prasad Singh. Shahabuddin, after his release from Bhagalpur jail, had said that Nitish Kumar was the chief minister of `circustances’ and that on his own he can’t even win 20 assembly seats. Even on Septembr 13, Shahabuddin said whatever he had said about Nitish was his considered opinion. The former Siwan RJD MP Shahabuddin said he was not bothered by the prospects of his being booked under Crime Control  (CCA) Act. Singh, a former union minister, had said that he was opposed to selection of Nitish Kumar as the chief minister. Both Shahabuddin and Singh also maintain that the new Excise Act was draconian.

The JD(U), on the other hand, has said that RJD chief Lalu Prasad had accepted Nitish’s leadership. CM Nitish Kumar while refusing to comment on Shahabuddin’s statement said that he had got mandate to rule. Two senior ministers of Nitish cabinet: Vijendra Prasad Yadav and Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lallan Singh, had also strongly defended Nitish on September 12.

Lalu on Tuesday said he would talk to all concernd over the issue. He, however, said that if someone describes him as his leader there is nothing wrongwith it. Shahabuddin, after coming out of jail after 11 years, had said he considers Lalu his leader. Lalu also said that Nitish Kumar was leader of Grand Alliance.