Patna, Sept. 4: The top JD(U) leadership managed to resist a “tiff” between a minister and a legislator of the party snowball into a major controversy, denying a chance to the Opposition to corner it.

Barhariya MLA Shyam Bahadur Singh had decided to sue rural works minister Bhim Singh after the latter allegedly denied to transfer a relative of Shyam, who was suffering from cancer. But the JD(U) leadership tamed the MLA, saying his act would give Opposition a chance to attack the party. The minister was also asked to be careful while dealing with MLAs.

“The MLA was told that his action would send a wrong message to people and the Opposition would get an issue out of nothing. Realising the fallout of his plan, the MLA decided against filing the contempt case,” a JD(U) source told The Telegraph.

He said the minister was also asked to be careful in future while handling the requests made by MLAs and should not jump to conclusions without verifying the veracity of the points raised by them.

Confirming the development, Shyam, who is on a personal tour to Ajmer, told The Telegraph over phone: “I decided against filing the contempt case in the larger interest of the party.”

Asked if the family members of his relative would move the state human rights commission against the minister, as was claimed by him a few days ago, the MLA said: “The chapter is closed for now.”

The Telegraph had reported in its August 24 edition about the MLA’s plan to lodge a defamation case against the minister for his alleged misbehaviour.

Shyam had said the rural works department minister had misbehaved with him when he went to meet him for transferring one of his relatives to a desired place as he was suffering from cancer. “Singh misbehaved and did not pay heed to my request. My relative, who died on August 16, was forced to spend his last few days away from his family at the place of his posting,” Shyam had told The Telegraph.

Shyam had said his relative, R.B. Singh, was posted as a junior engineer in the rural works department at Biharsharif. He had requested Singh to transfer him to Chhapra, where his family lives.

The legislator had said he got the shock of his life when the minister told him that MLAs were in the habit of citing health reasons for getting their kin transferred at desired places.

Reminded about his past assertions, the MLA said: “These things are past now and despite my grief I do not want to drag this issue further.”

Shyam’s words would please the JD(U) leaders as they were apprehending a major controversy.