BJP behind destabilising JD(U) government in Bihar: Shyam Rajak

PATNA: A senior JD(U) minister today accused the BJP of trying to fuel rebellion in the ranks of his party in Bihar with a view to destabilising the government.

Food and Consumer Protection Minister Shyam Rajak told reporters here that efforts to destabilise the government headed by Jitan Ram Manjhi being orchestrated by senior BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi.

Rajak, a trusted aide of former chief minister Nitish Kumar, alleged that the BJP's attempts to fuel rebellion in the JD(U) ranks has been "buttressed" by the fact that nominations of the independent candidates Anil Sharma, Sabir Ali and Dilip Jailwal bore signatures of a number of BJP MLAs.

The ruling JD(U) is facing tough fight in the Rajya Sabha by-poll in two seats in which its candidates former diplomat Pawan Verma and Gulam Rasool Balyawi were being challenged by independent candidates Anil Sharma and Sabir Ali respectively with tacit support of the BJP, he said.

Both Sharma and Ali don't have the requisite number of MLAs to win their seats, the minister said and charged the BJP with backing these two candidates with some rebel JD(U) MLAs.

He also alleged that the destabilisation efforts were being "monitored" from prime minister's residence in Delhi.