Amid escalating political tensions in Bihar, JD(U), RJD to hold parallel meetings

PATNA: Members of both houses of Parliament and the state legislature of the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) gathered here on Tuesday to attend a meeting at his official residence amid rumours of a significant political move by the seasoned leader, according to senior party functionaries.

At 11 AM, the meeting is slated to start.

Although the outcome won't be known until after the conference, several of the potential attendees denied that the party's relations with the BJP had been bad enough to warrant calling for a realignment.

"Our party had held many such meetings of MPs and MLAs in the past. We have been told that the current meeting has been called to discuss organisational matters. Never heard about any major crisis in the NDA," said Ram Nath Thakur, a Rajya Sabha member, low key but known to enjoy proximity to the chief minister by virtue of being the son of late Karpoori Thakur, the latter's political mentor.

Another confidant of Kumar, Leshi Singh, who is an MLA and a minister in his cabinet, said, "I was away for the last four or five days but I have an idea of how things have been. There does not seem to be any major crisis facing the NDA government. It goes without saying, though, that the party will abide by any decision taken by the chief minister"."

Meanwhile, MLAs of the opposition RJD, the largest party in the state assembly, have also been commanded by their leader Tejashwi Yadav to remain present at a meeting which will be held at his mother Rabri Devi's Circular Road bungalow, a stone's throw from the CM's Anney Marg residence.

Chetan Anand, a young RJD MLA who is serving his first term, said, "Rumours of political realignment have been afloat for a couple of years. Let us not make any rash assumptions. Once the party leadership takes any decision, it will be definitely made known to all."

With PTI inputs