K C Tyagi relieved of organisational responsibilities upon his repeated requests: JD(U)

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) on Wednesday asserted that veteran leader K C Tyagi would "continue to be a strong pillar" of the party though he was relieved of organisational responsibilities upon his "repeated requests".

The clarification came a day after the party came out with its new list of national office bearers wherein the name of Tyagi, arguably the JD(U)'s best-known spokesperson, was conspicuous by its absence.

In a statement, the party's national general secretary Afaque Ahmed Khan rued "media circulating wrong message regarding the exclusion" of Tyagi, who previously held the designation of chief general secretary.

Khan claimed Tyagi, who has been active in politics for close to five decades, had requested Nitish Kumar, the party's supremo, after the JD(U) national council meeting held in December last year, "to relieve him from the organisational responsibilities".

"On his repeated requests, the party agreed on relieving him from organisational responsibilities but he will continue to be a strong pillar of the party along with Nitish Kumar ji," Khan added.