Beleagured JD(U) leaders meet tomorrow

Patna, Apr 17 (UNI) Bickerings in the JD(U) came to fore today with beleaguered leaders meeting here tomorrow to vent their anger over the ''indifferent'' attitude of the party's Central leadership towards their grievances.

The rebel camp of the party had planned to expose the ''shortcomings'' in the functioning of the NDA government in Bihar.

From the JD(U) camp, who had made up their mind to attend the proposed meeting, included suspended party members Chhedi Paswan, MLA, Purnamasi Ram, MLA, JD(U) secretary general Upendra Kushwaha, Vashisth Narain Singh, MP, former MPs Arun Kumar, and Anand Mohan and others.

The rebel leaders were preparing to assemble under the leadership of former JD(U) national president George Fernandes, whose ''bitter'' relation with the Bihar Chief Minister and senior JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar was an ''open secret'' since his virtual ouster from the prime post of the party.

Mr Fernandes had consented to inaugurate the meeting being held under the banner of the Bhola Paswan Shashtri Vichar Manch.

One of the vociferous leaders of the JD(U) rebel fold Chhedi Paswan claimed the meeting to be non-political, but hastily added that those attending the meeting were political leaders capable of influencing the state politics.

Lamenting at the ''poor'' performance of the state government, Mr Paswan here today said that the NDA government could not fulfil the aspirations of the people. The enthusiasm among the people for the NDA government was fading as its performance could not instil hope among them for the better future, he added.

'' Developmental projects in several districts failed to take off triggering desperation among the people and party workers, '' he added.

'' The crime graph in the state continues to rise despite the tall claims of the government, '' he said adding recent kidnappings in Patna, Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga district bore an ample testimony to the fact.

UNI