Nitish rubbishes talks of Sharad Yadav's 'retirement'

Patna, April 11: A day after replacing Sharad Yadav as JD(U) President, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday, April 11 rubbished talks of Yadav's "retirement" saying he will continue to guide the party.

The new JD(U) chief was replying to a question regarding the remarks made by RJD chief Lalu Prasad earlier in the day where he described Sharad Yadav's replacement as the JD(U) national president by Nitish Kumar as Yadav's "retirement". "Its not true.

Lalu Prasad did not mean this. He and Sharad Yadav have old and good ties, why will the RJD chief make such a statement? It's misunderstood," Kumar said on Lalu's comments in Gopalganj. Kumar said Sharad Yadav would continue to guide the party as earlier.

Asked to be more specific about the future role of Sharad Yadav in the JD(U), Kumar said, "he will continue to work for the party as I (Kumar) used to do before becoming its president. Sharad Yadav had himself told the party that he was not interested in being re-elected as JD(U) president for the fourth time, Kumar said.

"Nobody removed him from the post party leaders came out up another name (of Kumar) only after Sharad Yadav made his opinion public," Kumar said in a bid to cap the controversy surrounding the choice of a new JD(U) chief.

"The JD(U) constitution permitted a person to be elected as its president for a maximum two times. But, the party constitution was amended to make Sharad Yadav continue on that post for a third time in a row. Since he came out with a decision against continuing on the post, the party chose a new chief," he said.

Sharad Yadav's term in the Rajya Sabha is also coming to an end soon. Kumar said he had served as Yuva Lok Dal president and also secretary general of JD(U) in Bihar earlier. The JD(U) National Council at a meeting in Patna on April 23 will put a seal of approval on Kumar as the party president.

PTI