Lalu plays 'cheap' politics by making resignation call: Nitish

PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday charged Railway Minister Lalu Prasad with "digressing" from the main issue of fighting unitedly against divisive forces like the MNS, saying he had raised the bogey of resignations by all MPs and MLAs to gain "cheap popularity".

On Lalu Prasad, also RJD president, giving 10 days' time to him to think about the enmasse resignations of the MPs and legislators from Bihar, Kumar said, "I have already replied to his letter and do not have time to think about what he says to media each and everyday."

Referring to Prasad's statement that he was prepared to leave the throne of " Hastinapur (UPA government)", while Nitish was not ready to abdicate the post of "Pataliputra (Bihar)", Kumar said, "let the election come and people would not only throw him out of the Hastinapur but would pack him off even from Bihar."

On Prasad's criticism on him for remaining in the BJP-led NDA of which Shiv Sena was also a constituent, Kumar said his party JD(U) had no direct relations with the Shiv Sena and added that BJP-JD(U) government was functioning well in the state and was adhering to the common minimum programme (CMP).

"I do not require any certificate on secularism from Lalu Prasad who had closed the cases of Bhaglpur riots that had claimed over 1000 lives," Kumar told reporters after listening to the grievances of the people at his Janata Ddarbar.