Nitish Kumar government may collapse any time, claims Lalu Prasad

PATNA: Claiming that the Nitish Kumar government was gasping for breath and might collapse any time amid its "growing unpopularity", RJD supremo Lalu Prasad today asked party activists to mobilise people in order to oust the JD(U) from power.

"The Nitish Kumar government has become hugely unpopular and resentment against it has been brewing," he told partymen at the RJD's 17th foundation day celebrations.

"As the RJD commander, I tell you all to work hard among the people at the grassroots to oust the JD(U) government from power and bring back your own party to power," Prasad said describing himself as "Arjuna" of the Maharabharata.

Prasad mentioned RJD candidate Prabhunath Singh's landslide victory in Maharajganj Lok Sabha bypoll last month to energise the party workers ahead of the next general elections.

He attacked the chief minister for ditching one ally after another for "lust of power" and claimed whatever political height Kumar had risen has been due to him. "I took him to this height and so I know his every design," Prasad said.

Referring to the JD(U)'s split from the BJP-led NDA last month, the RJD supremo said the chief minister chose to take divorce from his longstanding ally after he felt that there was no no need to keep the alliance partner in good humour as his party could survive in power on its own.

Prasad also scotched rumours doing the round that some RJD MLAs might quit the party to join the JD(U).

The RJD supremo condemned the police firing incident in Bagaha in which six Tharu tribal people were killed and demanded the chief minister's resignation owning moral responsibility for it.

Prasad also expressed grief at the death of Amarjeet Balihar (the slain Pakur SP) in Maoist ambush in Jharkhand saying his party had passed a resolution to condole the death.