Patna: Nitish Kumar’s unwillingness to take back his resignation, expressed in a sentimental speech at a meeting of party MLAs on Sunday, led to a stalemate and also saw JD(U) president Sharad Yadav facing protests from many MLAs and hundreds of partymen backing Mr Kumar.
Mr Yadav, who himself lost the LS poll in Madhepura, was reportedly determined to prevent Mr Kumar’s continuance as the CM and called for the election of a new leader.
State agriculture minister Narendra Singh, who had spoken out against Mr Kumar publicly in the LS poll campaign, himself propos-ed the JD(U) stalwart’s name for re-election by legislators and strongly argued in favour of Mr Kumar’s continuance. A number of other ministers and JD(U) state chief Vashistha Nar-ayan Singh were among scores of MLAs who urged Mr Kumar to resume duty as CM.
“I will be glad if the party and party workers free me of the CM’s duties so that I can devote more time for party work. I can serve the party better without occupying any such constitutional post. I can get the JD(U) to win massively in the next polls,” Mr Kumar was quoted as having said in his speech. He resigned along with his entire Cabinet on Saturday, taking moral responsibility for the JD(U)’s fall from 20 Lok Sabha seats won in 2009 to just two in 2014.
Hundreds of JD(U) workers demonstrated outside Mr Kumar’s official residence on Sunday. They briefly prevented Mr Yadav’s entry and later heckled land and revenue minister Ramai Ram as he had recently aired his displeasure at Mr Kumar’s management of party affairs.
