Crisis in Samata deepens as Nitish resigns

Crisis in Samata deepens as Nitish resigns
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

JAN 4: In a dramatic turn of events, Union Agriculture Minister Nitish Kumar today resigned, apparently angered over rebel Samata Party MPs' attack on him and senior party leader George Fernandes' assurance to them against merger with JD(U).

Fernandes, however, dismissed Kumar's resignation saying, "There is no such thing" and told reporters in Bangalore that the merger issue would not lead to a split in the party nor have an impact on the NDA government.

After shooting off his resignation letter to Fernandes, with a request to forward it to the Prime Minister, Kumar flew in here a day ahead of the state party convention which will be a virtual trial of strength in this largely Bihar-based party.

Out of 12 Samata party MPs in the Lok Sabha, 10 are from Bihar, with dissidents claiming support of seven.

After Kumar was authorised by state legislators to work out modalities for merger with JD(U), he came under severe attack from rebel MPs led by Bihar unit chief Raghunath Jha, who threatened on Wednesday evening to split the party by holding a parallel convention.

Fernandes, however, averted a crisis by dissuading them from holding the parallel convention with an assurance that there was no question of a merger with JD(U).

Hours later, Kumar reacted by sending in his resignation to Fernandes and announcing it here on arrival from Delhi.

Infighting over the proposed merger has almost threatened to split the party. Those opposed to it feel the merger would only strengthen the hands of RJD supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav and give pride of place to JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav who had no base in Bihar and would therefore be a virtual liability for the Samata Party.

In a late night fire-fighting mission, Fernandes assured the dissidents that there was no question of a merger with JD(U), according to dissident Samata MP Arun Kumar.

Following the assurance, the dissidents decided to call off their parallel meet, but a slighted Kumar shot off his resignation letter to Fernandes before taking a flight to Patna for the party convention.

Announcing his resignation at the Patna airport, Kumar said the dissidents were "free to do whatever they want...I am in no way concerned with such an affair." Asked whether he recommended disciplinary action against rebel MPs, he said, "It is upto those who deal with such a matter."

"What I will say is that it is not a democratic way or beyond parliamentary norms that the MPs have launched a tirade against me...We should have discussed such a matter during parliamentary party meeting instead of rushing to media," Kumar said.

Launching a broadside against rebel Samata MPs, Kumar said, "Their intentions are known and partymen are well aware of it...Even one of the MPs from among them had a secret meeting with RJD supremo Laloo Prasad on December 30."

Making it clear that the party had not received any formal proposal from JD-U national president Sharad Yadav for merger, Kumar took serious exception to outbursts of a rebel MP without disclosing his name that they would not allow merger of Samata with Sharad Yadav.

"I will ask them whether Sharadji has rushed to them with any application for merger...More so the junior Lok Sabha member should maintain restraint while commenting against a politician of a high stature like Sharad Yadav," he said.

On the threat of six Samata Dal MPs to hold a parallel convention, he said the election to the post of Samata state president and selection of national council members would be held here tomorrow as per schedule.