’99 per cent in JD(U) upset with Nitish Kumar’: Shyam Rajak set to join RJD day after expulsion

Sacked Bihar minister Shyam Rajak on Monday said that he will join the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) which is now headed by Lalu Prasad Yadav’s son Tejashwi Yadav. Speaking to reporters a day after he was sacked from the state Cabinet and expelled from the Janata Dal (United), he claimed that majority of the people in the ruling party are upset with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

“Around 99% of people in Janata Dal (United) party are upset with Bihar CM Nitish Kumar but are unable to form a decision,” he said. “I don’t know about others but I am joining Rashtriya Janata Dal.”

The politician also claimed that he has not been expelled from the JD(U) and that he will submit his resignation to Legislative Assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary.

“I have not been expelled, I am going to give my resignation to the Speaker. I can not stay where social justice is being stripped,” the MLA from Phulwari Sharif said.

CM Nitish Kumar on Sunday sacked Rajak from his Cabinet and also expelled him from the JD(U) membership for six years for indulging in anti-party activities. Rajak served as Industry Minister in the JD(U)-BJP combined government.

JD(U) spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan told ANI that Rajak’s recent actions were nothing less than an act of indiscipline. “So the party decided to take this action against him,” he said.

Rajak had earlier dropped hints of rebellion against Nitish Kumar and even publicly shown his inclination towards the RJD which he had quit in 2009 to join the JD(U). His differences with Industries Secretary S Siddharth were also reported in the public domain.

Rajak was once considered a close confidant of Lalu Prasad Yadav. He was Minister of State for Energy, Public Relation Department and Law during the RJD rule under Rabri Devi. Between 2010 and 2015, he served as Minister for Food and Consumer Protection in the Nitish Kumar government.