As ex-CM, Nitish declines to accept personal staff

Former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today declined to accept a posse of personal staff alloted to him by the state government, a facility not available to other former Chief Ministers.

"I will accept only things to which I am entitled to as a former Chief Minister and nothing beyond that," Kumar said.

"I came to know from newspapers today about the allotment only for me and excluding other ex-CMs...mujhe yah suvidha nahi chahiye (I do not need the facilities)," he said.

"I thank Jitan Ram Manjhi cabinet for showing concern for me but I do not need these facilities, not permitted in rule for former chief ministers," Nitish Kumar told PTI.

The Manjhi cabinet had yesterday approved a proposal of the Cabinet Secretariat providing necessary personal staff to the former Chief Minister for five years.

The personal staff which he could avail of was the services of two additional secretaries, as many private secretaries, two lower division clerks and four peons.

This facility was alloted only to Kumar excluding all other former Chief Ministers.

Kumar, who was the Chief Minister of the state for past eight years, demitted office on May 18 last owning moral responsibility for the defeat of JD(U) in Lok Sabha poll in Bihar.

 His party could manage only two seats out of 40 in the state, as against 20 in 2009.

After being authorised by the JD(U) Legislature party, Kumar nominated senior minister Jitan Ram Manjhi to succeed him as the Chief Minister.

The day Manjhi took oath on May 20, Kumar shunned all facilities. He has decided to move out of One Anne Marg residence of the chief minister and move into 7 Circular road residence alloted to him in the capacity of an ex-CM.