Former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra Monday quit the ruling Janata Dal (United) (JD-U) citing "neglect" of the Brahmin community in distribution of tickets for the Lok Sabha polls.
Mishra, who was unhappy and frustrated over being sidelined in the party, said that the JD-U had not fielded a single Brahmin despite the fact that the community constitutes about nine percent of total votes in the state.
"Now I will work to defeat the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) candidates in Bihar and work for formation of a secular government at the centre," Mishra said.
"My son, Nitish Mishra, was disturbed at the JD-U denying ticket to Brahmin candidates on Jhanjharpur, Madhubani or Darbhanga seats and he resigned from Nitish Kumar's council of ministers in anger," he said.
Last week, Railways Minister Lalu Prasad held an hour-long meeting with Mishra after Nitish Mishra resigned from the government.