New Delhi, May 20: Upset over the appointment of former Bihar chief secretary Arun Pathak as adviser to Bihar Governor Buta Singh and the transfer of district magistrates C.K. Anil and K.K. Pathak from Siwan and Gopalganj, Union minister and Lok Janashakti Party president today took up the matter with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

Paswan alleged that the steps were taken under pressure from railway minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal president Laloo Prasad Yadav.

In separate letters to Singh and Gandhi, Paswan said he was “surprised and anguished” over the appointment of Arun Pathak, who had held the post of chief secretary when Laloo Prasad was the chief minister of Bihar.

Paswan said the appointment of the adviser and the transfers of district magistrates at loggerheads with RJD leaders (read controversial Siwan MP Mohammad Shahabuddin and Gopalganj MP and the brother-in-law of RJD chief Sadhu Yadav,) were done under pressure from the railway minister.

The LJP chief said the decisions have raised questions over the “impartiality” of President’s rule in Bihar.

Paswan said when President’s rule was imposed in the state following a fractured verdict in the Assembly elections earlier this year, his views were sought on the appointment of an adviser to the governor.

“I had not suggested any name to Union home minister Shivraj Patil saying that it was not necessary for a governor to have an adviser as the state (Bihar) already had a chief secretary and an administrative machinery,” he said.

Paswan, in his letter, said he had cautioned the home minister that if anyone was appointed as the governor’s adviser on the advice of the RJD, it would send the “wrong signal”.