Patna, April 11: Denied re-nomination to the Bihar Legislative Council, BJP veteran Tarakant Jha today pedalled down memory lane.

Watching his protégé Sushil Kumar Modi file nomination papers, along with chief minister Nitish Kumar and nine others, Jha recalled how he rode a Hercules bicycle in the early 1950s to build the party. But like a true partyman, the council chairman refused to speak on why he was dropped from the BJP’s list of candidates for the upper chamber of the legislature.

The 85-year-old veteran, who became the first general secretary of the Jan Sangh (the precursor to the BJP) in 1952, said: “I won’t comment on the party that I have built. I still remember how I had bought a cycle at a cost of Rs 48 in 1954 and rode on it, moving out to work for the party.

“I used to buy laddoos worth five annas (approximately 30 paise) to offer them to the Hanuman temple seeking Lord Hanuman’s blessings for the betterment of the party. Our party was as small as the Hanuman temple was at that time. I am happy that the temple has grown in size and so has our party.”

Born in July 1927 in a farmer’s family of Mithila region, Jha has had an illustrious career. A successful lawyer, he was the advocate-general of Bihar in the 70s. He went on to become the state party president of the BJP in 1990 in undivided Bihar.

“He is still the chairman of the Legislative Council. Denying him a re-nomination for a second term is really shocking. It is the party’s worst gesture to such a veteran,” said a senior BJP minister.

Modi refused to speak on the issue. “The central election committee decides on the candidates,” he said.

Jha will not remain the council chairman after the new members take oath in May. But there was more focus on him with TV channels surrounding him for a sound bite. But Jha was cryptic.

“I can’t say anything against my party. I have been a partyman throughout my life and I will remain a partyman till God summons me to heaven,” said Jha, sporting a spotless white dhoti, kurta and almond colour bandy. Red vermilion furrowed through his forehead.

While an affable and media-savvy Jha was busy sharing his long association with Atal Behari Vajpayee, L.K. Advani and other party patriarchs, chief minister Nitish, former chief minister Rabri Devi and Modi filed their nominations.

The JD (U) retained all its six members. Besides Nitish, the JD (U)’s agriculture minister, Narendra Singh, rural works department minister Bhim Singh, party spokesman Sanjay Singh and party leaders Ramashray Prasad Singh and Upendra Prasad filed nomination papers today.

Rabri was the only candidate from the Opposition to file papers on the RJD symbol. The BJP’s state general secretary, Mangal Pandey, state secretary Satyendra Kushwaha and party leader Lalbabu Prasad also handed nomination papers to returning officer L.K. Jha.

The JD (U) and the BJP have six and four seats, respectively, in their share. With Rabri, 11 candidates filed their nomination papers against 11 seats vacant, suggesting that the Election Commission might not require election for the seats. Though the last date of filing the papers is April 16, there is hardly any possibility of a 12th candidate joining the fray.

“Our alliance is perfect. We unanimously decided to keep six seats in the share of the JD (U) and four for the BJP,” Nitish said.