lallan_singhPatna: Political speculations are strife in Bihar over the alleged rift between Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his trusted lieutenant Rajiv Ranjan Singh, a.k.a. Lallan Singh, who is reported to have disappeared from the day-to-day proceedings of the party following the reinstatement of Rashtriya Samata Party president Upendra Kushwaha into the Janata Dal (U) two months ago.

The buzz is that Singh, disappointed by the Chief Minister's decision to welcome Kushwaha who had walked out of the party a few years ago to form his own party,  has asked JD-U president Sharad Yadav to relieve him from his party's state president post citing personal reasons for such decision.

Media reports suggest Singh has expressed his concerns over Nitish Kumar's policy of rewarding those who had not only betrayed the party when they were needed the most but also for elevating them to important positions at the cost of other party loyalists.

"My contribution in rebuilding JD-U, if not more, is no less than any other person in the party. While I am not going to resign from the party, I feel this post of party state president is nothing more than a token title and I feel no reason to remain in this position any longer," Lallan Singh is reported to have said.

Singh is reported to have refrained from participating in any internal proceedings and offering any new strategy to the Chief Minister for last two months coinciding with the reinstatement of Kushwaha.

Similar discontent has been reported by party leader Shivanand Tiwari who is said to have been sulking for quite some time for not being given due importance in the party.

With Bihar Assembly elections due later this year, such developments are seen as nothing more than political posturing by leaders who are known for such stunts prior to each election.