Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad masters of engineering defections: Union Minister Giriraj Singh

LUDHIANA: Refuting allegations that the BJP- led Centre was "encouraging" horse-trading in Bihar, Union Minister Giriraj Singh today said JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar and RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav were "masters" in the art of engineering defections.

The Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises said Kumar was "enacting a drama" to topple Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi from his post. BJP has no role in the crisis, he said.

"Nitish (Kumar) and Lalu Prasad Yadav are the masters in the art of organising defections from other parties. They have a strong track record for that," Singh told reporters here.

Kumar had yesterday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "encouraging" horse-trading in Bihar and alleged that the Centre put "pressure" on the Governor to give the incumbent Chief Minister a long time to prove his majority so that MLAs could be "lured".

"Since Kumar himself is desirous of power and cannot live without it for long, he is engineering this entire drama to topple Manjhi," Singh said.

He said Kumar had himself installed Manjhi as Bihar's Chief Minister on the pretext of bringing a 'Mahadalit' to lead the state.

"People of Bihar understand the game plan of Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav well and will surely teach them a lesson in the next assembly elections...," he claimed.

Singh was in the city in connection with the inauguration of an Expo organised here.