Discontent in JD(U) comes to fore after ex-minister Shyam Rajak skips Delhi meet

PATNA: Disgruntlement in the JD(U) came to the fore on Sunday after party general secretary and former minister in Nitish Kumar government, Shyam Rajak, skipped the national executive meet in New Delhi, apparently unhappy over the denial of a ministry allegedly under RJD boss Lalu Pra sad's pressure.

JD(U) president Sharad Yadav, Bihar unit chief Bashishtha Narain Singh, CM Nitish Kumar and Rajya Sabha member K C Tyagi will be presiding over the two-day meet to discuss the party's expansion and a change in its symbol.

Rajak was once a Lalu groupie but later left him to join Nitish. "This time, when RJD got more seats than the JD(U) in the elections, Lalu allegedly prevailed over Nitish and ensured Rajak wasn't included in the Cabinet," a party source said, adding that Rajak has kept a distance from Nitish from the day he took oath as CM. On Sunday, Rajak was in the Bihar capital and also attended personal engagements in Phulwarisharif, his constituency .