Bihar govt not responsible for Shahabuddin's release: JD(U)

New Delhi: Countering the Bharatiya Janata Party`s (BJP) claim that `jungle raj` would now return to Bihar following the bail of Mohammad Shahabuddin, the Janata Dal (United) on Monday said the state government was not responsible for the former RJD MP`s release from jail.

"The court had sent him to jail and given him life imprisonment. He was released with the court`s order itself. The Bihar Government is not responsible for this," JD (U) leader K.C. Tyagi told ANI. Resonating similar sentiments, another JD (U) leader Sanjay Singh said Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has always been a leader and would remain so "No one can taint his image. Nitish Kumar has become a subject of discussion for his works. He has proved that he is the leader of Bihar by bringing the state back to track," he added.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has continued to maintain that the development is an indication that `Jungle Raj` is back in Bihar and Nitish Kumar can do nothing, but be a mute spectator. Emphasising that Nitish has no control over the current situation with Shahabuddin not even considering him as a Chief Minister, BJP leader Nalin Kohli said that it`s a matter of confirmation that `gunda raj and jungle raj` has returned to Bihar and Nitish Kumar is willing to be a mute spectator to what the people are suffering.

However, Nitish yesterday gave a terse response to Shahabuddin`s comments saying that he came to power only from the mandate of the public of Bihar and that he could not care less about what others said about it. Shortly after getting released, Shahabuddin said "My leader is Lalu Yadav," and dismissed Nitish Kumar as a "Chief Minister of circumstance." He had been sent to jail in November 2005 in connection with the murder of Rajiv Ranjan, a prime witness in the murder of his two brothers Girish Raj and Satish Raj. The brothers had been murdered in Siwan in August 2004.