JD(U) national president Sharad Yadav got a taste of anger when hundreds of Nitish Kumar’s supporters stopped his car and banged it left, right and centre.
The supporters not only banged his car but also abused and alleged him of plotting a conspiracy against Nitish to resign from the post of chief minister.
The incident occurred around 3pm outside 1 Aney Marg, when Sharad was on his way from the state guest house to attend the legislature party meeting called by Nitish at his official residence.
Much before the arrival of Sharad, the supporters gathered outside the CM residence shouting slogans and protested against him with banners having messages such as Maang raha pura Bihar, mukhya mantri ho to Nitish Kumar and Bihar ka vikas adhuri hai, Nitish Kumar jaroori hai.
Some of the protesters even went to the state guesthouse to stage a dharna in front of Sharad’s room but as soon as they reached there, he had left to attend the meeting.
The agitated supporters assembled outside Nitish’s residence gheraoed Sharad’s car and tried to break the glass of his vehicle by banging it hard. Sloganeering like Sharad Yadav murdabaad and Sharad Yadav vaapas jao filled the air.
The supporters stopped the car for almost five to eight minutes and refused to disperse till the security guards from the CM house intervened.
The security personnel had to drag the supporters out from the road to make way for Sharad. They even escorted Sharad’s car and took him inside the CM house.
Gopal Narayan, an agitated supporter from Begusarai, said: “I heard it on news channels that Sharad Yadav had said that Nitish Kumar will not continue as the chief minister and he will be replaced by someone else. How can comment like this? We would not tolerate if any other leader takes Nitishji’s position.”
A day before Sunday’s crucial meeting in Patna, in Delhi Sharad had said that the party would tie-up with the rival RJD for the formation of a secular alliance. This comment further angered the supporters.
“What kind of message Sharad Yadav wants to send to the public? Nitishji’s political career will come to an end if the party joins hands with the RJD, who destroyed the state after ruling for 15 years. Did Sharad speak to Nitishji before issuing such a comment? He has gone mad and we will teach him a lesson today,” said Bhanu Singh, a supporter from Jehanabad.
In the recently concluded general election, the JD(U) witnessed a major drubbing as it could bag only two seats. It lost the rest 38 seats, including that in Sharad Yadav’s Madhepura parliamentary constituency.
The supporters not only vent their anger on Sharad but also stopped the cars of several MLAs when they were entering the CM house. The supporters were asking the MLAs to stand by Nitish and abstain from suggesting any other alternative name.
“The party will break into pieces if any MLA suggests any other name except that of Nitish Kumar. All MLAs should stand by him and no one should oppose his name,” said Kishori Kumar, a resident of Nalanda, the chief minister’s home district.
By afternoon, rumours were rife that senior JD(U) leader Narendra Singh was in the race for the chief minister’s post. As soon as he returned from Delhi at 1pm, he went to state guest house to meet Sharad.
Narendra outrightly denied the rumour. “I am not at all in the race for the CM’s post. I would be the one to bring a proposal at the legislative party meeting on Sunday for Nitish Kumar to continue as the chief minister.”
