Bihar Congress demands ouster of 'absconder' in Nitish cabinet

Patna, Aug 3 (UNI) The Bihar Congress today demanded the termination of the membership of state Energy Minister Vijendra Prasad Yadav from the Assembly alleging that he was an ''absconder'', a fact he hid during filing his nomination papers from Supaul constituency in 2005 assembly polls.

Pradesh Congress Committee, in a memorandum submitted to state chief electoral officer Sudhir Kumar Rakesh, said Mr Yadav successfully contested the election on the basis of a ''wrong and incomplete'' declaration.

BPCC chief spokesman Prem Chandra Mishra told mediapersons Mr Yadav had contested the assembly polls on the strength of a declaration where he had ''chosen to refrain'' from stating facts.

''Judicial Magistrate of Patna Ranjana Asthana had declared him an absconder on March 2000 for his failure to appear in the court despite issuance of warrant of arrest and also ordered attachment of his property in a case filed by an officer of Bihar Hydro Power Corporation, Mr Lalan Prasad Sinha, on May 13,1992,'' he said.

Mr Yadav had allegedly misbehaved with and abused Mr Sinha during his tenure as a minister of state for energy in the then Lalu Prasad government, Mr Mishra added.

The Congress leader maintained that Mr Yadav could not feign ignorance about the case as he had filed a revision petition before the appellate court.

He ridiculed Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for inducting an ''absconder'' in his council of ministers and demanded immediate ouster of the minister.

UNI XC-BNG PL YA PM1537