'Nitish Kumar has made JD-U his pocket organisation'

Suspended Janata Dal-United MP Upendra Kushwaha on Friday resigned from the party, slamming Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's alleged "autocratic" functioning in Bihar.

Kushwaha, a Rajya Sabha member who had nearly four years of his term still left, also resigned from the membership of the Upper House on Thursday evening and vowed to shape another political formation.

The controversial MP submitted his resignation to Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari at his residence. With Kushwaha's exit, JD(U) is now left with eight members in the Upper House.

A young leader, who has had a hot and cold relationship with the Bihar Chief Minister and has changed parties in the past also, Kushwaha was facing threat of disqualification this time for his "anti-party activities" and a committee of the Rajya Sabha examining the matter had recommended his disqualification unanimously.

Kushwaha, however, said his resignation from the party and Upper House membership was not taken suddenly due to any committee's recommendation and that he had announced his intention to quit on December 9 itself in Patna.

Hitting out at Nitish Kumar, Kushwaha said that he had joined hands with the Chief Minister with great hopes but the latter has "shattered the hopes of people".

"Nitish model has failed. Development of Bihar is only on paper. Law and order is worse and gang-rapes are happening even in the state capital, where accused are found to have been enjoying political patronage. Bihar is back to the same situation where it was seven years ago and there is no hope of a change now," Kushwaha said.

Announcing his decision to form a new party, he said that its name will be announced in a rally in Patna on March 3 and he will strive to bring together all those who had once joined Nitish Kumar hoping for a change.

Alleging that Kumar made JD-U his "pocket organisation", Kushwaha said that he will try to give a political alternative in Bihar but remained tightlipped on the political parties he was willing to associate with.