The grand show of former Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Mohd Shahabuddin’s release from Bhagalpur jail and his stinging statement on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar that he was a “CM of circumstances” has apparently widened the crack between the ruling grand alliance partners: JD(U) and RJD.
Also, with the BJP submitting a 9-point memorandum to Governor Ram Nath Kovind seeking speedy trial of Mr. Shahabuddin in cases pending against him and the JD(U) mulling over disciplinary action against a party MLA for welcoming the bahubali (strongman) RJD leader and being present when he took on Mr. Nitish Kumar, political temperatures in the State on Monday went up.
On Saturday when Mr. Shahabuddin was released from jail, he declared in response to a media question, the unflattering comment against the Chief Minister. This was later endorsed by senior RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh. “Yes, it’s right that Nitish Kumar is a Chief Minister of circumstances…I too have been saying that but once our leader Lalu Prasad declared his name for the CM post, I had to agree with him”, said Mr. Raghuvansh Prasad, who is RJD national vice-president.
Stung by these statements, the ruling JD(U) on Monday held an emergency meeting at Mr. Nitish Kumar’s official bungalow 1, Anne Marg. Party sources told The Hindu that the leaders also discussed the legal aspects of Mr. Shahabuddin’s release. Later, senior party leaders and Ministers, addressing the media at the party headquarters, appealed to RJD chief Lalu Prasad to rein in his leaders from making such “uncalled for” statements.
Asked about Mr. Shahabuddin release, the JD(U) leaders said: “We don’t want to comment on a person who comes and goes to jail in criminal cases…law will take its own course.”
