Patna,(BiharTimes): It was a hectic day for Janata Dal (United) in Bihar on June 2 as a number of legislators openly revolted against none else but the ‘de facto’ chief minister Nitish Kumar after they were ignored in the cabinet expansion.

As senior minister, Gautam Singh was forced to resign on the alleged charge of working for the RJD candidate from Maharajganj, Prabhunath Singh, MLAs like Gyanendra Singh Gyanu and Arun Manjhi and MLC and spokesman, Neeraj Kumar, openly revolted against the chief minister’s decision to pack his cabinet with the defectors who used to abuse and criticize the party and its leaders till recently. 

Incidentally, none of these rebellious leaders have any complaints against Jitan Ram Manjhi, but they all trained their guns on Nitish Kumar, who kept 18 ministerial posts vacant for about a year before he quit last month. 
Party MLC, Neeraj Kumar, was among the first to come out against the latest move of the chief minister. He was, in particular, critical of the induction of Lallan Singh, who he said, stabbed Nitish Kumar in the back only a couple of years back and worked against the party so openly. He also asked as to why the turncoats from the RJD were made ministers but not Rana Gangeshwar and Vijay Kumar Mishra, who shifted their loyalty from the BJP to the Janata Dal (United).

Another MLA Ajit Kumar has threatened to resign from the state executive of the party.

Gyanu, who was till recently considered as the supporter of Nitish Kumar was extremely critical of the party, which, according to him, has not woken up even after its strength has come down from 20 to two after the recent Lok Sabha election. 

Referring to Bima Bharati becoming the minister on Monday he said one who can not read oath has been made minister. it has never happened in the country’s history. How can one become a minister without taking oath, he asked.

Gyanu was also critical of the induction of Lallan Singh in the cabinet.

Dissension in the party is likely to increase further as more and more legislators are coming out openly against the defectors being made ministers while the loyal workers, who toiled very hard for so many years, have been overlooked.

Earlier reports suggested that ministers like Narendra Singh and Bhim Singh might be sent to the Rajya Sabha. It was also reported that one of the two MLA sons of Narendra Singh would be made minister, but that did not happen.

There is still five vacancies in the cabinet, whose strength is now 31, including the chief minister. As per 15 per cent of the House strength there can be 36 ministers in the state cabinet.