Opposition rally against Nitish Kumar's 'sadak chhap' remark

The Bihar Mahagathbandhan constituent parties on Thursday staged a march up to Raj Bhawan to lodge their protest with state Governor Lalji Tandon against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's allegedly derogatory comments against alliance leaders.

The Bihar CM kicked off a controversy on Monday, as he, while replying to media queries related to the Mahagathbandhan, allegedly said, "It has no future as it is picking up people from the road (sadak par se logon ko utha kar shamil kar rahe hain)."

This did not go down well with Grand Alliance leaders who said Nitish had made it a habit of "abusing" other politicians. "Earlier he used derogatory remarks against Rashtriya Lok Samata Party president Upendra Kushwaha by calling him 'neech' (lowly). Now he has called our ally Mukesh Sahni 'sadak chhap', even though both are prominent leaders in Bihar," said Shakti Singh Yadav, an RJD MLA who led the march.

Sahni represents the Nishad community, an extremely backward caste having significant population in Bihar, and has recently floated Vikas-sheel Insaan Party (VIP).

The police had a difficult time in maintaining order as leaders, workers and supporters from all Mahagathbandhan parties took part in the march.

However, the absence of top leaders - RJD's Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular's Jitan Ram Manjhi, state Congress chief Madan Mohan Jha, Kushwaha or Sahni, raised eyebrows as the ruling alliance leaders said how was the Mahagathbandhan complete without Manjhi or Kushwaha. "It would be better if they march to Hotwar jail (where RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav is lodged after sentence in the fodder scam cases)," NDA leader said in a jibe against the Grand Alliance.