Walk out from alliance if not comfortable: Cong to RJD

Patna, Sep 13 (PTI) With fissures surfacing within thegrand secular alliance following the sparring between RJD andJD(U), the third coalition partner Congress today stronglystood behind Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and told RJD that ifthey are not comfortable in the coalition they could walk out. "If you feel you are not comfortable in the alliance,you are free to walk out," state Congress chief and Biharminister Ashok Choudhary said while reacting sharply to thesnide comments on Nitish some RJD leaders. "You say there is rock solid unity in the coalitionand yet your leaders pass snide comments on the mukhiya(chief) of the coalition government," he said. The Congress’ strong reaction came in the wake of thecontroversy triggered by RJD vice-president Raghubansh PrasadSingh’s barb against Nitish Kumar while backing party leaderMohammad Shahabuddin’s utterances on him that he was a"circumstantial CM." Trashing the comments of RJD leaders, Choudhary alsodid not appreciate the press conference held by two seniorJD(U) ministers yesterday to ring a warning bell for RJD. "We also do not appreciate the press conference heldby JD(U) (to denounce RJD leaders’ remarks on he CM and askLalu Prasad to rein in errant leaders)… such things createconfusion among grass root workers of the coalition," he said. "The three parties made him (Nitish) chief ministerand it does not look good that any of our leaders humiliatethe CM," Choudhary said. "The three secular parties JD(U), RJD and Congress hadcome together in Bihar as part of a strategy to keep the BJPout of power. If you think now that things are not going asper anyone’s wish, anybody is free to leave the grouping,"he said. With RJD’S 80 MLAs, JD(U)’s 71 and Congress’ 27 MLAs,the trio is in a coalition in Bihar. Congress has fourministers in the Nitish Kumar Cabinet. Choudhary said he has apprised the party high commandwith the latest political situation in Bihar. On Shahabuddin’s comments after walking out of Bhagalpurjail that Lalu Prasad was his leader and not Nitish Kumar,Choudhary saw nothing wrong in it. "Lalu Prasad is the leader of RJD, Nitish Kumar is ofthe JD(U) like Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi is for theCongress," he said. PTI SNS DKBASV