Nitish Kumar 'mentally unsound', 'failed to observe protocol' when VP visited Bihar: Tejashwi Yadav

Patna: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday charged Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with "failure" to observe protocol when Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar visited the state on January 24.

Criticising his ex-boss, the former deputy CM alleged that Kumar's inability to receive Dhankhar on Friday was a sign that the JD(U) supremo was not in a sound state of mind.

"Things have come to such a pass that the chief minister is no longer able to follow the protocol. He failed to receive the Vice President. He is mentally unsound," claimed Yadav, who is now the leader of the opposition.

Dhankhar was in Samastipur to attend a function on the birth anniversary of former chief minister Karpoori Thakur, who was awarded Bharat Ratna a year ago.

The function was attended by a host of dignitaries, including Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and Union ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Nityanand Rai.

However, Kumar had remained conspicuous by his absence at the function, though he visited Samastipur shortly afterwards to pay tributes to Thakur whom he considers his political guru.

Yadav made the remark when his comments were sought on the arrest of former MLA Anant Singh who has been named in a case lodged in connection with a gunbattle between two rival groups on the outskirts of Patna earlier this week.

The RJD leader claimed that the arrest was an "eyewash" and Singh, whose wife Neelam Devi is a sitting MLA elected on RJD ticket but defected to the NDA camp, "would be released in no time".

Kumar, who is in his 70s, is the longest-serving chief minister of Bihar.

More than one young leader in the state has been claiming that the JD(U) boss had grown senile.

Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor, a former national vice president of the JD(U), had made a similar remark on Friday.

Interacting with the media, Kishor had said, "I challenge Nitish Kumar to identify his ministers and their respective portfolios, without looking at a piece of paper for reference. If he is able to do so, I will give up my fight against him".