New Delhi, July 16: Efforts by Samata Party President George Fernandes to mollify an angry Nitish Kumar failed today. The Railway Minister has rejected all requests to take back his resignation from the Union Cabinet. After a two-hour meeting Fernandes had with his party colleague at the latter`s residence this morning, Kumar said that there was no change in his position.

The Minister added that he would stay away from his ministry, "There is no question of my going to Rail Bhavan".
Fernandes went to persuade Kumar personally after his telephonic talks with him failed to pacify the Samata leader.

Kumar resigned on Monday citing sharp differences in the Samata Parliamentary Party as the reason.
Asked if he placed any condition before Fernandes to return to government, Kumar said he had not done anything like that.

To a question whether he had sought expulsion of the firebrand MP Prabhunath Singh from the party, Kumar said that it was totally wrong to say that he had placed any such demand as a condition to take back his resignation.

Bureau Report