JD (U) to Jitan Ram Manjhi: Avoid controversial remarks

PATNA: Even as JD (U) supremo Nitish Kumar is keeping a stony silence over the provocative statements made by CM Jitan Ram Manjhi in spite of murmuring inside the party, its national general secretary K C Tyagi has once again advised him to refrain from doing so.
Tyagi’s reaction on Thursday came in the light of Manjhi’s Wednesday statement in which he said the seven Union ministers would not be allowed to enter Bihar if they failed to cooperate in the state development.This created concern among the JD (U) ministers and functionaries and angered the BJP and the Union ministers.
However, JD (U) national president Sharad Yadav downplayed Manjhi’s utterances. “Manjhi has suffered a lot in his life and whatever he says is just revealing those woes,” Yadav said while referring to Manjhi’s statement that he became the CM after being hit and pushed behind and one day he might become PM that way. JD (U) state chief Bashistha Narain Singh refused to comment on the Manjhi’s controversial statements saying he need not say anything after Yadav’s comments.
Tyagi said the CM has been suggested to refrain from making such statements which might hurt the party interest and demoralize the party workers and even benefit the BJP. “We have told Manjhi not to make any such statement which could be distorted and taken mileage of by the BJP. He should not speak anything which shows disunity in the party,” Tyagi said and added, “I am sure he will not do anything that damages the party.”
Tyagi refused to comment when asked if there is any plan to remove Manjhi from the post of chief minister. He said whether Manjhi continues as CM or not is an internal party matter. “Such issues are not to be discussed in public,” he added.
On the possibility of Nitish coming back as CM, Tyagi, who participated in his Sampark Yatra in Munger, said Nitish has committed to take over the responsibility if the people give him a big mandate in the 2015 assembly elections. Praising Nitish, he said BJP won all over the country in the Lok Sabha polls, but Nitish was the only leader to take moral responsibility for the defeat and resigned from the CM’s post.
Education minister Brishen Patel, however, did not take Tyagi’s comment kindly and said if there was any crisis in the party he should call a meeting to discuss the issue. Former MLC and Nitish’s close confidant Sanjay Jha said the former CM painstakingly authored social unity and attempts should not be made to undo them through unsolicited statements.
Meanwhile, Union minister of state for drinking water and sanitation Ramkripal Yadav said it was good that the JD (U) high command took cognizance of the irresponsible statement by the CM and asked him to refrain from making such utterances.