Date:04/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/04/stories/2008020453381300.htm

National

Bihar BJP legislators unhappy with Nitish

K. Balchand

Speak out against party leadership

PATNA: The BJP in Bihar has a problem with itself and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the 26-month-old State government.

These woes came out in the open at its legislature party meeting held after several deferments on Saturday. The party leadership officially admitted resentment among legislators over a number of issues and its own failure to deliver on its assurances.

Several legislators spoke out against the party leadership and were particularly severe against Deputy Chief Minister S.K. Modi for denying them their due and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for not expanding his Cabinet for fear of inviting instability.

Senior leader Bhola Prasad Singh was supported by over two dozen legislators protesting against the “self-centred politics” of Mr. Modi. They were upset at being denied a share in power and an opportunity for the party to perform on its own and not be overshadowed by the Janata Dal (United).

Openly attacking the Central leadership, they wondered what impeded its fulfilling the promise of a Cabinet expansion. They underscored the helplessness of the party and feared that the prevailing confusion could split the party.

They attacked Mr. Kumar for denying the BJP its share of berths in the Cabinet and for being unable to contain dissidents on his own. They charged that the party had to bear the brunt of the government’s poor performance without being part and parcel of it in the real sense of the term.