Ex-Bihar CM Jagannath Mishra remembered on 4th death anniversary

Rich tributes were paid to former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra on his fourth death anniversary on Saturday by his admirers on both sides of the political fence.

Mishra, the last chief minister the state had from the Congress before being swept away by the Mandal wave, later served in the Union cabinet headed by PV Narasimha Rao.

State minister and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's close aide Ashok Chaudhary and Bihar BJP chief Samrat Choudhary were among those who attended a function organised by the late leader's son Manish Mishra.

On the occasion, Mishra launched a social awareness campaign 'Chanakya Neeti' that promises to ''revive the ancient glory of Bihar when the kingdom of Magadha and its capital city of Pataliputra were known world over''. Leaders present on the occasion pledged their support to the cause underscoring that despite political differences, they were united in their concern for their motherland.

The state BJP chief remarked, ''Ashok Choudhary and I go a long way back and so does our relationship with the late leader. Chanakya Neeti has brought us on one platform just like Chanakya, in ancient India, created circumstances that gave rise to the legend of Samrat (Emperor) Asoka''. Asoka, reckoned among the greatest of India's rulers, was the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya, a disciple of Chanakya.

Ashok Choudhary, who was with the Congress till five years ago, chuckled at the BJP chief's remark that they have ''the same surname'' and were with Mishra in ''sharing the concern for our motherland''.