Patna: After protests by BJP MLAs over the recent reshuffle in the Nitish Kumar ministry, discontent appears to be brewing in JD(U) too with state party vice president Ajit Kumar today resigning from his post.

Kumar became the second vice president of the party to resign after Monazir Hasan. Both Kumar and Hasan had been dropped as ministers in the April 13 reshuffle and appointed vice president of the Bihar unit of the party.

Sending his resignation letter to the state party president Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lalan , MP, Kumar said, "I have quit my post in the larger interest of the people of my constituency. I will now have more time to devote to their development."

"I was removed from the council of ministers for poor performance and I felt I would not not be doing justice to my constituency due to my preoccupation with party affairs as vice president," Kumar, former transport minister, said.

Since Lalan left for Delhi this morning, it was not immediately known if Kumar's resignation has been accepted.

Kumar said he would continue to work as an ordinary member of JD(U) to fulfil the dream of Nitish Kumar of building a "strong, prosperous and vibrant Bihar".

Monazir Hasan had quit as vice president on April 17, saying he would not be able to do justice to the cause of the minorities while doing organisational job.

Hasan and Kumar were among eight dropped ministers who were appointed vice presidents after the reshuffle that triggered a rebellion in the BJP. The dissident saffron party MLAs sought removal of Deputy Chief Miniser Sushil Kumar Modi as their legislative party leader.
Source : PTI