Kamal Ghorui
Patna: As CM Nitish Kumar filed his nominations for the Rajya Sabha elections, the JD(U) workers protested outside the chief minister’s residence on 1, Anne Marg, and at the party office, with some even threatening self-immolation on Thursday.Workers said they would not accept the move, alleging a conspiracy against Nitish and claiming he was under pressure. Outside the CM’s residence, the protesters demanded to meet the chief minister and warned of “dire consequences” if they were not allowed access.At the JD(U) office, the protesters vandalised furniture, breaking chairs and tables, and raised slogans targeting specific party leaders, calling them “Jaichands”. A large number of workers also gheraoed JD(U) state president Umesh Kushwaha, who attempted to calm the crowd.“Nitish Kumar has not yet resigned from the CM’s post. The sentiments of the workers will be understood and their concerns will be conveyed to him,” Kushwaha said, while pacifying them.A similar scene played out outside the chief minister’s official residence, where several workers threatened self-immolation and repeated warnings of “dire consequences”.Even after a post from Kumar’s X account indicating he was prepared to move to the Rajya Sabha, protesters claimed the account was being operated by someone else. Mahendra Kushwaha, a JD(U) worker from Paliganj, said he believed the decision was not Nitish’s. “We got the news on Holi afternoon that our leader Nitish ji is being sent to Rajya Sabha. We know it is not his decision,” he said, adding that he rushed to Patna on Wednesday evening after hearing the reports.Ravi Raj Patel, vice-president of Patna Mahanagar, said the party workers did not accept the X post as authentic. “Someone has forced him. Why are we workers not allowed to meet our leader,” he asked.Youth worker Gauri Singh also questioned the authenticity of the post. “The tweet from his handle has been made under pressure,” she said.When asked by reporters as to why the JD(U) members were upset, senior party leader Maheshwar Hazari was seen crying in his vehicle.Surendra Kumar Shivam, a JD(U) worker, said the party workers had campaigned on the slogan “2025 se 30 phir se Nitish” and claimed the only alternative they would consider was his son Nishant Kumar.Mohd Shahid Alam, a JD(U) member of Patna Zila Gramin (minority wing), said, “Nitish ji has sent many to Rajya Sabha, why will he go, leaving behind Bihar in someone else’s hand. The BJP is trying to play the same game it played in Maharashtra.”Girendra Kumar, another party worker, alleged the timing of the decision was chosen because many people had left Patna for Holi. “There are BJP agents in JD(U) and they have played a dirty game,” he said.Rani Kumari said, “This is a sad day for us. We women had put in all effort to make our leader Nitish Kumar Bihar’s CM. But a few people are misleading him.”
