Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on July 10 was reportedly seen shouting at Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLC Sunil Singh for his alleged proximity to senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Mr. Kumar expressed his anger during the Bihar Mahagathbandhan or Grand Alliance’s legislative party meeting after the first day of the monsoon session of the Bihar Legislature. Mr. Singh is known to be a close confidante of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad.
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Last week, Mr. Singh posted a picture with Mr. Shah on his social media account while attending a programme of the Ministry of Cooperation in New Delhi.
A Janata Dal-United (JD-U) MLA spoke to The Hindu on condition of anonymity over what the CM said at the meeting. Mr. Kumar said if Mr. Singh wished to switch sides, he must go ahead.
“While looking at Mr. Singh, the Chief Minister said — ‘What nonsense have you been speaking about me? Why are you doing all this? I know very well that you are in contact with BJP leaders and recently you posted photographs as well with Amit Shah. If you wish to switch sides, please go ahead. On one hand we are holding an Opposition meeting and on another hand you are meeting Amit Shah. I know very well, what you are up to. You are with Lalu-ji, don’t do such things’,” the JD(U) leader related.
The JD(U) MLA also related: “Nitish-ji did not stop here. He said — ‘Do not dream of getting the Lok Sabha ticket from BJP, don’t get into their trap. Have you forgotten the CBI [Central Bureau of Investigation] raids at your residence? In fact, I called you 20 times but you did not pick up my call’.”
Congress MLA Ajit Sharma confirmed that Mr. Kumar had expressed his anger to Mr. Singh over his meeting with Mr. Shah.
Annoyed with Mr. Kumar’s allegations at the meeting, the RJD MLC stood up from his chair said that nobody could question his integrity. Before things could get worse, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav intervened and asked Mr. Singh to calm down.
A few days ago, Mr. Singh had indirectly criticised Mr. Kumar over the functioning of his government.
Speaking on the recent tussle between Education Minister Chandra Shekhar and the Additional Chief Secretary of his department, K.K. Pathak, the RJD MLC directed a veiled attack at Mr. Kumar, claiming that Mr. Pathak had been “deliberately” brought to the Education Department. He also compared many of Mr. Kumar’s civil servants to “dacoits”.
Asked about the meeting with Mr. Shah in New Delhi, Mr. Singh said it was related to his work. “He is the Cooperative Minister of India and I am a Director on the Board of Biscomaun, which falls under his department. It was a government function — the Cooperative Congress on July 1, in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah were also present. I posted the photo along with Amit Shah-ji. What’s wrong with that? As far as my relation with Lalu-ji is concerned, I am his family member, standing with him for the past 27 years in good and bad times. Nobody can question my integrity with Lalu-ji. I will remain with him till my last breath,” he said.
