<div align="justify">Janata Dal (United) president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday dared rebel Rajya Sabha MP and former party chief Sharad Yadav to split the JD (U). Launching a blistering attack during the national executive committee meeting here in the State Capital, Nitish reminded Sharad how he persuaded George Fernandes, the then JD (U) president, to send him (Sharad) to Rajya Sabha when he lost the Lok Sabha polls in 2004.<br /><br />“We have 71 MLAs, 30 MLCs, besides two MPs in the Lok Sabha. Sharad ji, if you have guts and courage, please try to split the party. Not one MLA or MLC is with you. And the one MP who is with you (in reference to rebel Rajya Sabha MP Ali Anwar), please remind him that he went to the Upper House with the support of BJP MLAs in 2012. If you dare to split the party, you will lose even your membership because you know you don’t have the two-thirds majority to effect a split,” Nitish dared Sharad in an uncharacteristic tone.<br /><br />Earlier in the day, the JD (U) passed a resolution saying that the party was joining the BJP-led NDA as it was not possible to run the Grand Alliance Government in the company of the RJD and the Congress. “The 2015 Assembly poll mandate was for the rule of law and good governance. It was not meant to indulge in corrupt practices and make benami property,” Nitish launched his diatribe in an oblique reference to Lalu and his sons.<div align="justify"><br />“Had Tejashwi Yadav resigned on his own, his stature would have increased. But some people become arrogant with the poll victory,” said Nitish. Slamming Lalu, Nitish said the RJD chief used “an incarcerated person (without naming Md Shahabuddin) to make disparaging remarks about me. I was termed as a Chief Minister due to circumstances... and that I have no political base.”<br /><br />The JD (U), however, refrained from taking any disciplinary action, Sharad Yadav. “Sharad ji a senior member. He is free to air his grievances at the party forum. But if he attends Lalu’s proposed rally on August 27, he will be crossing Laxman rekha, and may then eventually invite disciplinary action,” said JD (U) secretary general KC Tyagi. He added that 16 out of 20 state units were with Nitish.<br /><br />On the other hand, Sharad held a parallel meet at SK Memorial Hall here on Saturday. Prominent among those who attended his ‘Jan Adalat’ were Rajya Sabha MP Ali Anwar and former minister Ramai Ram.<br /><br />SUPPORTERS CLASH:<br />Earlier, in the day, few supporters of Sharad Yadav clashed with JD (U) workers at the entrance gate of CM’s official residence 1, Aney Marg, the venue of JD (U) national executive meet. “We are identifying the hooligans through CCTV cameras. No guilty will be spared,” said Senior SP (SSP) of Patna, Manu Maharaj. <br /><br /><br /></div></div>
<div align="justify">Janata Dal (United) president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday dared rebel Rajya Sabha MP and former party chief Sharad Yadav to split the JD (U). Launching a blistering attack during the national executive committee meeting here in the State Capital, Nitish reminded Sharad how he persuaded George Fernandes, the then JD (U) president, to send him (Sharad) to Rajya Sabha when he lost the Lok Sabha polls in 2004.<br /><br />“We have 71 MLAs, 30 MLCs, besides two MPs in the Lok Sabha. Sharad ji, if you have guts and courage, please try to split the party. Not one MLA or MLC is with you. And the one MP who is with you (in reference to rebel Rajya Sabha MP Ali Anwar), please remind him that he went to the Upper House with the support of BJP MLAs in 2012. If you dare to split the party, you will lose even your membership because you know you don’t have the two-thirds majority to effect a split,” Nitish dared Sharad in an uncharacteristic tone.<br /><br />Earlier in the day, the JD (U) passed a resolution saying that the party was joining the BJP-led NDA as it was not possible to run the Grand Alliance Government in the company of the RJD and the Congress. “The 2015 Assembly poll mandate was for the rule of law and good governance. It was not meant to indulge in corrupt practices and make benami property,” Nitish launched his diatribe in an oblique reference to Lalu and his sons.<div align="justify"><br />“Had Tejashwi Yadav resigned on his own, his stature would have increased. But some people become arrogant with the poll victory,” said Nitish. Slamming Lalu, Nitish said the RJD chief used “an incarcerated person (without naming Md Shahabuddin) to make disparaging remarks about me. I was termed as a Chief Minister due to circumstances... and that I have no political base.”<br /><br />The JD (U), however, refrained from taking any disciplinary action, Sharad Yadav. “Sharad ji a senior member. He is free to air his grievances at the party forum. But if he attends Lalu’s proposed rally on August 27, he will be crossing Laxman rekha, and may then eventually invite disciplinary action,” said JD (U) secretary general KC Tyagi. He added that 16 out of 20 state units were with Nitish.<br /><br />On the other hand, Sharad held a parallel meet at SK Memorial Hall here on Saturday. Prominent among those who attended his ‘Jan Adalat’ were Rajya Sabha MP Ali Anwar and former minister Ramai Ram.<br /><br />SUPPORTERS CLASH:<br />Earlier, in the day, few supporters of Sharad Yadav clashed with JD (U) workers at the entrance gate of CM’s official residence 1, Aney Marg, the venue of JD (U) national executive meet. “We are identifying the hooligans through CCTV cameras. No guilty will be spared,” said Senior SP (SSP) of Patna, Manu Maharaj. <br /><br /><br /></div></div>
