Patna: Countering the JD(U)'s charge that Lalu Prasad is the "most inefficient" Railways minister the country has ever seen, the RJD today said his predecessor Nitish Kumar made the service "miserable" during his tenure.

"Nitish Kumar made the condition of Railways miserable. He proved to be a total failure in tackling the affairs of Railways," RJD General Secretary and spokesman Shyam Rajak said in a press statement.

Kumar's over five-year stint was characterised by accidents and in 21 major accidents, over 1,055 passengers were killed and 1,645 injured, Rajak alleged while releasing the list of the rail accidents when Kumar was Railways minister.

Ruling JD(U) spokesman Shivanand Tiwari had yesterday described Prasad as the "most incompetent" Railways minister the country had ever seen and alleged that about 346 people have been killed in bomb explosions in running trains and at railway junctions ever since Prasad took charge in May 2004.

Tiwari also alleged that the recent spurt in crimes in moving trains had proved beyond doubt that Prasad had lost control over the ministry and he should be removed forthwith by the Prime Minister.

Rajak charged Tiwari with "losing his mental balance" and demanded that Kumar make public the list of robberies and murders in trains in Bihar during the past two years.

Source : PTI