JD-U looking into Anant Singh’s support for Jan Suraaj: Bihar Dy CM

Patna, Oct 2 (IANS) Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, who was in Samastipur to attend a JD-U conference marking 20 years of the Jeevika initiative, responded to Union Minister Chirag Paswan’s recent criticism of the state government and also addressed the ongoing dispute within the JD-U involving Mokama MLA Anant Singh.

Responding to Paswan’s recent remarks on the law-and-order situation in Bihar, Chaudhary said he did not believe the situation had deteriorated to a point where any leader of the ruling alliance would feel embarrassed about being part of the government.

He pointed out that Paswan himself is a Union Minister and that two ministers from the LJP (Ram Vilas) are part of the Bihar government.

Paswan had recently criticised the state government over law and order, crimes against women and teenage girls, and said he was ashamed to support a government under which such incidents were taking place.

Chaudhary acknowledged that criminal incidents had increased in some areas in recent weeks but said the state government, led by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, was taking strict action.

He stressed that the government maintained a zero-tolerance approach towards crime.

Asked about JD(U) MLA Anant Singh participating in a nomination rally in Patna in support of a Jan Suraaj candidate for the Legislative Council election, Chaudhary said the matter had come to the party’s notice.

He said the JD(U) was examining all aspects of the issue and indicated that the party would take an appropriate view.

The issue is linked to the ongoing public differences between Anant Singh and JD(U) spokesperson and MLC candidate Neeraj Kumar over the Patna Graduates’ constituency.

Chaudhary had earlier said that the dispute would be resolved soon.

Speaking about the Jeevika initiative, Chaudhary credited former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with conceptualising the programme as a means of empowering rural women and helping them become economically self-reliant.

He said the progress made by Jeevika groups demonstrated the impact of the initiative, with women now playing a greater role across different sectors.

Chaudhary also praised the women associated with Jeevika, popularly known as “Jeevika Didis”, and said their participation had been an important part of the political and social journey of the Nitish Kumar-led government over the past two decades.

He said the government under Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary was continuing to follow the same development-oriented approach.

A large number of JD(U) leaders, legislators and Jeevika members from across Samastipur district attended the conference.

--IANS

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