M A I N   N E W S

Nitish loyalists oust George men from posts

Patna, April 13
Dealing a blow to the George Fernandes camp, supporters of Railway Minister Nitish Kumar today removed Mr Umashanker Singh and Mr P.K. Sinha from their respective posts in the state Assembly and Legislative Council.

Convener of Samata Party’s Bihar unit Bashishth Narayan Singh told reporters here that while Mr Umashanker Singh had been replaced by his deputy Upendra Prasad Kushwaha as leader of the legislature party in the Assembly, Mr Mnagani Lal Mandal, would be the new leader of the party in the Legislative Council in place of Mr P.K. Sinha with immediate effect.

The recommendations for expulsions were made against party MPs Raghunath Jha and Brahamanand Mandal, MLAs Ganesh Paswan and Bhai Virendra and MLC P.K. Sinha. A resolution to this effect, moved by Mr Shyam Sunder Singh Dheeraj, was adopted unanimously at the state executive committee meeting.

The meeting was held under the presidentship of state party convener and Rajya Sabha member Vashistha Narain Singh and attended by a host of MPs and MLAs considered close to the senior party leader and Railway Minister Nitish Kumar.

The MPs included Mr Prabhunath Singh, Mr Arun Kumar, Ms Renu Kumari, Mr Manjay Lal and a large number of MLAs, including Mr Upendra Kushwaha and Mr Bhagwan Singh Kushwaha.

Reacting to the resolution, Mr Nitish Kumar said he supported any move to curb indiscipline.

When asked whether this would lead to any split in the party, Mr Nitish Kumar told ‘Aaj Tak’: “Where do you see the split? The party is working. Two or four people trying to do something does not mean there is a split. A split is only if some people are there on the other side.” PTI