JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, Image source: https://www.newindianexpress.com
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday shrugged off all rumours about a split in his party, the Janata Dal (United).
While interacting with mediapersons, Kumar said there is no truth in the claims of opposition leaders about a split.
Earlier on Wednesday, RJD MLA Shyam Rajak in an interview claimed that 17 JD(U) are upset with the style of functioning of NDA alliance and are in contact with them ready to defect. However, the MLAs are asked to wait as they fear disqualification due to anti-defection law. The RJD leader claimed that if the MLAs resign as a bloc of more than 25 members, anti-defection law cannot be invoked against them. He also claimed that the number of MLAs will soon grow to 28.
"17 MLAs of JD(U) are in contact with RJD leaders and they have expressed a desire to form a government under the leadership of Tejashwi Yadav. We are closely monitoring the development," Rajak told media.
At present, 75 MLAs of the RJD, 19 of the Congress and 16 from the Left parties are together in the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance). If 17 MLAs change the goal post from the JD(U) to the Mahagathbandhan, the current NDA government will lose its majority in the Bihar Assembly.
Congress leaders have already given a proposal to Nitish Kumar to become the Prime Ministerial face of the opposition parties and hand over charge to RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav in Bihar, according to sources.
Such a situation arose in Bihar after alliance partner Bharatiya Janata Party accommodated 6 MLAs of the JD(U) in Arunachal Pradesh recently. Following the development, the JD(U) reacted sharply during its national executive committee meeting on Sunday and said that the move of the BJP is not a healthy sign for their coalition.
The JD(U) state president Vashistha Narayan Singh said: "The move of the BJP is condemnable. We strongly condemn it. BJP could face a big consequence over it in future."
The Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Shyam Rajak has claimed that several MLAs of the Janata Dal - United (JD(U)) are in touch with them and will defect from the NDA alliance soon.
Recently, in a humiliation for Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, six out of seven party MLAs in Arunachal Pradesh switched their side to join BJP. Sources privy to JD(U)'s inner circles have said that things are not going well between the NDA allies after the incident. Shyam Rajak said that it has become clear for the MLAs that BJP will dominate the alliance.
However, JD(U) has denied the RJD claims. Rajiv Ranjan, senior party leader and member of parliament said that the RJD is misleading the people with false claims.
After the legislative assembly polls ended in November, Tejashwi Yadav-led RJD turned out to be the single largest party in the 243 member-house with 75 seats and the BJP has 74, while JD(U) has only 43 members.