Infighting continued in ruling JD(U) in Bihar with many ministers complaining against party spokesman Ajay Alok for seeking resignation of three ministers but he remained unrepentant.
JD(U) sources today said senior minister Narendra Singh, among the three whose resignation was sought by Alok, met senior party leader Nitish Kumar last night and complained against him.
Singh, who is the state agriculture minister and reportedly siding with Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi in the power tussle with Kumar, met him at his residence for over an hour. He also spoke to JD(U) President Sharad Yadav over the issue, the sources said.
Alok on the other hand stood his ground. "Government is formed by a party but there is no party of the government ... I am spokesman of JD(U) and not the government," he told PTI and refused to withdraw his demand seeking resignation of the three ministers.
The spokesman said though one of the three ministers (Narendra Singh) had complained against him to Nitish Kumar and Sharad Yadav "He has at least spoken on the subject reaffirming faith in the party...But what about the rest two ? Kya we ghora bech kar so rahe hai (are they sleeping peacefully)."
Bihar JD(U) President Basistha Narayan Singh, who is in Delhi, told PTI over phone today that he would talk to party members after reaching Patna tomorrow to impose a strict discipline in the party.
He said Sharad Yadav had spoken to him and expressed concern over 'mud slinging' within JD(U) and instructed that it be checked immediately.
Two other ministers whose resignations were sought along with Singh for their alleged proximity with BJP are Brishen Patel and Nitish Mishra and three ministers Mahachandra Prasad Singh, Baidyanath Sahni and Javed Iqbal Ansari have rebuked Alok for it.
Another spokesman Neeraj Kumar had expressed objection to Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi attending Makar Sankranti feast at the residence of Sadhu Yadav, controversial and estranged brother in-law of RJD chief Lalu Prasad.
In the midst of expressions of anger by JD(U) ministers and leaders, a minister Jai Kumar Singh and a senior legislator Manjit Kumar Singh have demanded Nitish Kumar to once again assume charge of chief ministership 'without loss of time'.
