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Nitish, Lalu lock horns; a step closer to split

The quarrelling ruling alliance partners, the JD-U headed by chief minister Nitish Kumar and the RJD led by Lalu Prasad,…

Nitish, Lalu lock horns; a step closer to split

Lalu Prasad (L), Nitish Kumar (PHOTO: Facebook)

The quarrelling ruling alliance partners, the JD-U headed by chief minister Nitish Kumar and the RJD led by Lalu Prasad, moved one step closer to split on Monday with both parties threatening each other in public.

They also accused each other of violating coalition dharma much to the glee of the opposition BJP which interestingly has thrown its weight behind Mr Kumar. The overall situation took a nasty turn after a RJD legislator Bhai Birendra charged the chief minister with ditching all those who helped him in trouble. “Koi aisa saga nahin, Nitish ne jise thaga nahin (Nitish Kumar has spared none),” alleged the RJD legislator, igniting a fire of trouble in the barely 18-monthold ruling grand alliance.

The statement came after the JD-U rejected an appeal by the RJD president to reconsider his decision to support NDA’s presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind.

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The JD-U reacted bitterly to such statement by the RJD and warned of serious consequences if the former didn’t honour the coalition dharma and behave properly.

“We find an open violation of coalition dharma. This must be checked or there will have serious consequences,” warned state JD-U chief Vashishtha Narayan Singh, asking the RJD not to “dictate”.

Another senior JD-U leader and party spokesperson Sanjay Singh charged RJD president Mr Prasad of instigating his leaders to hurl abuses at the chief minister. “It looks like Lalu Prasadji is instigating his men to hit out at our leader. We too can react…we are not cowards,” warned Mr Singh.

He claimed the grand alliance won the elections on the face of chief minister Mr Kumar. The RJD instantly intervened asking the JD-U not to talk big.

“The grand alliance got the mandate on the face of all the three leaders and not one,” said state RJD president Ramchandra Purbe. He also supported the stand of party leader and deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav who said the RJD couldn’t compromise with its ideology just for the sake of victory.

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