Shyam Rajak hits out at Jitan Ram Manjhi, Ramvilas Paswan for trying to become 'Dalit leader'

PATNA: A senior minister in the Nitish Kumar government Shyam Rajak today poked fun at Ramvilas Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi for trying to 'outbid each other' to become NDA's Dalit leader.

"Like Ramvilas Paswan, former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi is also a "mausam vagyanik" (weather scientist) who reads well which side to be with," Rajak said in a statement here.

"Manjhi held ministerial positions in the governments of Congress, Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi and then Nitish Kumar. But, he did precious little for the well being of Dalits," Rajak, who was also a minister in the Manjhi government, said.

Taking potshots at Manjhi, Rajak said that he had fallen in BJP's trap which presented him a rosy picture and led him to "ditch" mentor Nitish Kumar.

Rajak slammed Manjhi for accusing Nitish Kumar of indulging in corruption.

"Nitish Kumar has made it mandatory for every minister and officers to put details of income on site for public perusal. Manjhi should reveal amassing wealth by him and family members in Gaya and other parts of the state after during his CM tenure," he said.