Patna,(BiharTimes): Departing from the past former chief minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday sought “the support of Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadavji for the Rajya Sabha by-election.”

Addressing a Press conference here he said that he is seeking the support of the RJD because it had backed the Jitan Ram Manjhi government on the trust vote day. “It should continue for the Rajya Sabha by-poll too. We are thankful for the support it had extended to the Manjhi government.” 

He said foiling the BJP conspiracy is the is a common cause of all the parties and accused the saffron party of going out of control after the victory in the Lok Sabha election and indulging in a conspiracy to destabilize the Manjhi government.

“Jitney ke baad itra gaye hain uska bhi upay karna pare ga.” (After the victory the BJP people have become arrogant. They need to be taught a lesson.)

He said that after the 2010 Assembly election he asked the NDA leaders not to become arrongant (itrana nahin hai) and mock the opposition parties, but pay due to respect to them. However, today the BJP people are doing something very different now.

He reiterated that he took the decision to quit as he follows a principle. “After the Lok Sabha election result the BJP leaders demanded my resignation. Now when I resigned they are saying that it is a natak (drama) and that I am ruling through remote.”

Nitish said that when Rajya Sabha election was announced the BJP said that it would not contest it. “My personal view was that we should not contest but should only back some one else.” 

However, when the BJP decided not to contest the Janata Dal (United) took a decision.

“Who is not aware that the decision to field two Independent was taken at the house of a BJP leader,” he said without taking the name of that leader. However, when the media insisted on disclosing the name Nitish said: “You all know the name. In fact you showed the footage of that meeting.” 

The former chief minister said that it was in his hand to recommended the dissolution of the House but he did not do so because the election was held for five years. “Now they want to destablizie the Manjhi government. All this is being done in a planned manner and RJD, Congress and CPI should all foil the design.” 

He sought the support of “RJD chief Lalu Prasadji with whom I held talks, Shree Ashok Chaudharyji and Sadanand Singhji of Congress and CPI general secretary Rajendra Prasad Singhji.”

He said that he was happy that the Manjhi government was working with full responsibility and all the developmental works are going on in full pace.

Nitish’s statement came after the state party chief Bashistha Narayan Singh and road construction minister Lallan Singh made similar appeals to the RJD in the last couple of days. They too appreciated the secular credentials of the RJD chief. 

A couple of days back the RJD leader in the state Assembly, Abdul Bari Siddiqui, criticized the JD(U) for taking the support of his party to the Manjhi government for granted and for ridiculing the stand taken by Lalu Prasad Yadav.

Meanwhile, in a related development a rebel legislator, Gajanand Shahi, alias Munna Shahi, on Friday switched side and returned to the JD(U) fold.