MNS attacks: 5 JDU MPs quit

Sticking to their threat, five Lok Sabha MPs of the ruling JDU in Bihar submitted their resignations in protest against anti-north Indian attacks in Maharashtra, inviting angry reactions from political rivals in the UPA Government - Lalu Prasad and Ram Vilas Paswan.

Sticking to their threat, five Lok Sabha MPs of the ruling JDU in Bihar submitted their resignations on Friday in protest against anti-north Indian attacks in Maharashtra, inviting angry reactions from political rivals in the UPA Government 8212; Lalu Prasad and Ram Vilas Paswan.

While Lalu charged Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of betraying the rare unity of different political parties over the issue, Paswan termed the move a political stunt. 8220;Nitish Kumar broke the all-party unity and is now playing a fraud. What difference will the resignations of these couple of MPs make? Who knows them? People know Lalu, Nitish and Paswan. If Nitish Kumar is serious then let all of us resign,8221; Lalu declared.

LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan termed the resignations as a 8220;political gimmick8221; and wondered as to why the Rajya Sabha members of the JDU had not resigned. 8220;Lok Sabha MPs whose terms will end in a couple of months are resigning, whereas the Rajya Sabha MPs, who have a couple of years left, are not following suit. What is this but a political gimmick?8221; Paswan said and dared Nitish Kumar to resign.

It8217;s amply clear that the resignation issue is politically motivated with the Bihar stalwarts out to outwit each other over attacks in Maharashtra, which has turned into an emotive issue in Bihar. The JDU8217;s move appeared to have put Lalu and Paswan under pressure, despite the fact that its ally in the Bihar Government 8212; the BJP 8212; has refused to toe the line.

JDU8217;s political intention was clear when its parliamentary party leader Prabhunath Singh took a dig at his rivals after putting in the papers before the Secretary General of the Lok Sabha. 8220;We have resigned to protest the Centre8217;s helplessness in taking tough measures against divisive forces like Raj Thackeray but some ministers from Bihar are unconcerned and are sticking on to power,8221; Singh said. Besides Singh, the other MPs who quit today are George Fernandes, Kailash Betha, Meena Singh and Rajiv Ranjan Lallan.

Both Lalu and Paswan, however, are seeking to play on the rift between the JDU and BJP over resignations and also the presence of the Shiv Sena in the NDA. 8220;JDU8217;s partner BJP has refused to get its MPs to resign. It is protecting the Shiv Sena which is responsible for the attacks on north Indians but the JDU continues to be part of the NDA. It should come out of the NDA to prove that it has no association with Bal Thackeray and his kin,8221; said Lalu.