Patna,(BiharTimes): Former chief minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday declined to accept the secretarial staff––two private secretaries, two personal secretaries, two lower division clerks and four peons as his personal staff––provided to him as per a cabinet decision taken on Tuesday evening. 

According to the Jitan Ram Manjhi cabinet decision, the facility was to be given to former CMs only for five years after demitting office. As Nitish was CM for the last eight years, no other former CM would be entitled to the facility. 

Nitish said on Wednesday he should accept only those facilities which are available to other former chief ministers as well, and nothing beyond that.

The former CM was, however, thankful to his successor for showing concern for him, but added he did not require facilities not available to other ex-CMs. 

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs minister Shrawan Kumar on Wednesday conceded that there was some anomaly in the cabinet decision.

It needs to be mentioned that all former CMs in Bihar are entitled to a free bungalow befitting a cabinet minister, armed guards at their bungalows, bulletproof Ambassador car, armed pilot escorts and free electricity at their bungalows in Patna. 

Apart from Nitish there are five more former CMs––Satish Prasad Singh, Ram Sundar Das, Jagannath Mishra, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi.