Mind your language, JD(U) tells its ally RJD

With the on-going ugly spat between the two ruling partners in Bihar - the RJD and the JD (U) – reaching a flash-point, the JD (U) on Monday asked Lalu Prasad to rein in his ‘foot soldiers’ spewing venom on Nitish Kumar, or “be ready to face the consequences.”

In the last 48 hours, it’s not only the RJD vice-president Raghuvansh Prasad Singh and the party legislator Bhai Birendra who have made uncharitable remarks against Nitish for backing NDA presidential candidate Ramnath Kovind, but Lalu’s son Tejaswi Yadav too has taken a dig at the Bihar CM.

Questioning his immediate ‘Boss’, the Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi made a veiled attack on Nitish by mentioning about the latter’s “blatant opportunism and ego-centric behaviour” on social media.

Pained over the spat, Nitish fielded his erudite spokesperson Ajay Alok to rebuff the youngest son of Lalu. “Our leader Nitish has made his stand clear on Kovind. But the RJD leaders are constantly adding fuel to the fire. It’s now up to RJD president to douse the flames..... otherwise in this scorching summer, it (bitter acrimony) will spread like wildfire,” said the JD (U) spokesperson.

Alok’s statement came at a time when even the Congress general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad questioned Nitish’s wisdom in New Delhi on Monday. “If Nitish says ‘Bihar ki Beti’ (Meira Kumar) has been fielded by the Opposition only to lose the presidential race, then it’s Nitish who will be responsible for this loss of face, as it’s he who betrayed us,” said Azad.

NCP sole MP from Bihar and former Union Minister Tariq Anwar too supported the Congress on this issue. “Nitish should have waited for a day before announcing his support to either of the presidential nominees. By taking a divergent stand, he has sent a wrong message to all the Opposition parties,” said Tariq, the veteran Lok Sabha MP from Katihar.