Patna, Oct 22 (IANS): The JD-U on Tuesday defended its decision to give the ticket to Manorama Devi for the Belaganj Assembly bypolls on Tuesday.

Earlier, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had conducted raids at the residence of Manorama Devi and seized over ?4 crore.

“The charges against Manorama Devi are not proven and are still being investigated. The decision to grant her a ticket was based on the demand of party workers. The court, not public opinion, should determine her guilt or innocence,” said Bihar Water Resources Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary.

He said that Manorama Devi has the right to present her defence and the legal process must unfold before any conclusions are drawn.

The JD-U leadership has maintained that without a formal conviction, it is premature to label Manorama Devi as guilty.

The opposition, led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), has raised serious concerns over the JD-U's decision to give an election ticket to Manorama Devi, who is facing money laundering charges and is alleged to have connections with dubious individuals.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has also taken jabs at Nitish Kumar, criticising him for frequently folding his hands before bureaucracy, implying that this symbolises his weakness.

Yadav sarcastically remarked that someone who constantly folds his hands has ended up becoming the Chief Minister.

Nitish Kumar’s public gesture during an event was seen requesting senior officials to expedite the filling of vacant posts in the Police Department.

In response to these criticisms, Chaudhary defended the Chief Minister, stating that folding hands is a sign of humility.

“Millions of people in Bihar trust Nitish Kumar, and his humble demeanour is a hallmark of his leadership style. If someone chooses to use their hands for aggression, that's their choice. Humility is a strength not a weakness,” Chaudhary said.