Patna, Aug. 31: Union minister of state for rural development Ram Kripal Yadav today announced that he would sit on a one-day hunger strike to protest what he called the failure of the state government to provide irrigation water for his constituency. His call comes a day after JDU chief spokesperson and MLC Sanjay Singh warned his party would not let Union ministers enter Bihar if the Centre did not help the state with a special relief package for floods.

Ram Kripal, who was once a close aide of RJD chief Lalu Prasad and is the Pataliputra BJP MP, had reacted by declaring that he would be coming to Bihar soon and JDU should try to stop him if it had the guts. Today, he wrote to chief minister Nitish Kumar to address the irrigation issue within 48 hours.

"Nitish is just focused on the liquor ban in the state and all other issues have taken a backseat," Ram Kripal told The Telegraph. "Round the clock, Nitish is just talking about liquor and nothing else. I have decided to sit on hunger strike on September 3 if the water is not released to the farmers of my constituency. I dare the JDU to stop me from entering the state."

Sanjay's warning had incensed not just Ram Kripal, but most of the BJP.

"I am a people's representative and it is my democratic right to raise the voice of people," Ram Kripal fumed. "The farmers of my constituency are in pain and they are asking me what I am doing for them. I have given 48 hours' time to Nitish and if the water is not released in the canal I will sit on hunger strike."

In the letter, faxed to the CM's office with a copy to chief secretary Anjani Kumar Singh, Ram Kripal said localities such as Bikram, Palilganj, Dulhin Bazar, Naubatpur, Bihta and Maner are facing drought.

"Twice I have spoken to the principal secretary of the water resources department but there has been no concrete response," Ram Kripal said. "It seems the water resources department is not serious. The Sone river is overflowing but water is not reaching the canal. Farmers of my constituency are continuously asking me questions; what should I tell them? I am really fed up."

The Telegraph repeatedly tried to contact principal secretary of state water resources department Arun Kumar Singh but his phone was switched off.

Asked about Ram Kripal coming to Bihar, Sanjay said: "We have decided to give time to the Centre to provide a relief package. If they fail we will launch an agitation."

He did not specify any timeframe.