Devesh Chandra Thakur quits JD(U), says will contest Council election as Independent

Patna,(BiharTimes): Former minister and Janata Dal (United) MLC, Devesh Chandra Thakur, on Friday resigned from the primary membership of the party. Talking to the media he announced that “I am now out of the cage.” He termed Janata Dal (United) as a rented house.

He is confident that he could win as Independent so why be tied with any party. “That is why I do not want to remain in the party.” After the revolt of three outgoing Rajya Sabha MPs and resignation of social welfare minister, Parween Amanullah, this is another big blow to the party. Devesh was considered as a very strong supporter of Nitish Kumar.

Sources said that he may even join the BJP.

However, he said that he would first contest the Council election as an Independnet. Sources close to him also said that he may contest the Lok Sabha seat from Sitamarhi as an Independent. At present this seat is being represented by Arjun Rai of Janata Dal (United).

Devesh was minister in the Nitish cabinet till November 2010 but he was not made minister in the second term. Even after that he was considered as member of the core group of Nitish Kumar. He played a very important role in organizing Adhikar Rally.

He was reportedly upset over the denial of Rajya Sabha ticket. Initially he thought that he might replaced Shivanand Tiwary, but that did not happen.

He represented Tirhut graduate constituency in Legislative Council.

Earlier on Wednesday he met the state party chief Bashitsta Narayan Singh. He said, Devesh Chandra Thakur met him and expressed his desire to contest the election as an Independent candidate. “We talked to him over phone too. We tried to convince him to remain in JD (U), but it appears he did not agree to our suggestion. The party has taken cognisance of his statements in the media that he wished to quit JD (U) and contest the Council election as an independent.”