The principal reason why Pandey has quit the government is said to be the denial of RJD ticket to his wife Girija Devi who wanted to contest from Maharajganj parliamentary seat.

Earlier, law minister Dev Prasad had also left the government and joined JD(U).

Pandey, a one-time close aid of RJD supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav, has accused RJD of neglecting the Bhumihar community during the distribution of party tickets. "I have full faith in JD(U) as this is the only party which is concerned about the overall development of Bihar. I am confident that this party will bring to an end the Laloo-Rabri jungle raj in Bihar," Pandey said."I was a close confidant of Laloo Yadav. Yet he betrayed me the Bhumihar community in general. The people of Bihar will never accept him as their leader. I wasintroducted to politics by Ram Manohar Lohia and I am in his party today."

Janata Dal (U) leader Ram Bilas Paswan, who was also present in the occasion said, "Laloo's party has now started to disintegrate. People are fed-up with the autocratic rule of the wife-husband team."

The Rabri Devi's jumbo-sized ministry, which had 73 ministers, now has 71 as two ministers have quit the government and the party.