Cong, JD(U) jointly celebrate Sri Krishna Singh anniversary

In a show of unity, Congress and JD(U) today came together to celebrate the 127th birth anniversary of freedom fighter and Bihar's first chief minister Sri Krishna Singh, even as the allies took apparent digs at the BJP.
Many bigwigs of the two parties, including Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, AICC general secretary C P Joshi, Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) president Ashok Chaudhary, shared the stage.
Senior JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar was missing as he is presently in Delhi for a visit.
The celebration came a day after BJP had organised a massive function in honour of Sri Krishna Singh here in which Minister of State for Railway Manoj Sinha was the chief guest.

The leaders of both parties, which came together after being drubbed in the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year, stressed the need to remain united to meet the political challenge from an upbeat BJP ahead of the Assembly elections next year.
Speaking on the occasion, Manjhi said, "If we remain united and get your (people's) support like earlier days then definitely the heads of the forces will be crushed."

"We will together create such a situation here that the powers which believe in just showing off and advertisements will not dare to look towards Bihar and will go back," Manjhi said obliquely referring to BJP.

Making a scathing attack on the Centre, Manjhi criticised the Centre for providing just Rs 8,000 crore out of Rs 18,000 crore allocated for development works in the state under different schemes.
"Bihar has to unsuccessfully look towards the Centre for basic things like railways, electricity, housing and grants meant for backward regions," he said.
Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar said the need of the hour was to tread the path of development shown by Sri Krishna Singh who took Bihar to greater heights with his planned approach towards development.
"It will help meet the political and social challenges," she said.