PATNA: Amidst the growing rift between JD(U) and ally BJP, CM Nitish Kumar has convened a meeting of his party MPs and legislators on Tuesday to discuss the political scenario that has emerged following the resignation of the party's former national president RCP Singh.
"CM Nitish Kumar wants to know the opinion of party's legislators and the members of Parliament over the political situation that has emerged in the wake of the RCP's resignation from the party. Hence, he has called a meeting of the party's MPs and legislators on Tuesday," JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh said here on Monday.
Besides JD(U), its ally Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S) of former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi and the main opposition RJD also have called their legislators' meetings in Patna on Tuesday to discuss the volatile political situation in the state.
The Congress MLAs already met at the residence of the Congress legislators party (CLP) leader Ajeet Sharma on Monday evening and discussed the political scenario in the wake of growing rift between the NDA allies and telephone conversation between Nitish and Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi.
As the speculations about Nitish jumping the ship once again are rife, the main opposition RJD on Monday said it was ready to embrace him if JD(U) breaks ties with the BJP. "If Nitish chooses to dump the NDA, what choice do we have except to embrace him.
Situation in state not ordinary, says RJD
RJD is committed to fighting the communal agenda of the BJP. If the CM decides to join our fight against communalism, we are ready to take him," said RJD's national vice-president and former minister Shivanand Tiwari. "Three to four political parties convening their legislators' meeting on Tuesday when no assembly session is round the corner indicates that the political situation in the state is not ordinary," he added.
AICC national secretary and MLA Shakil Ahmed Khan said whatever has been happening in Bihar for the last two few days was a "shubh sanket" (a good sign) as "the BJP is getting a taste of its own medicine."
Speculations of yet another political volte face by Nitish have been fuelled by his skipping four events in New Delhi recently, including the Niti Aayog meeting of chief ministers presided over by PM Narendra Modi on Sunday. Moreover, while accusing the BJP for preparing another 'Chirag model' through RCP to downsize Nitish's political stature in Bihar, the JD(U) on Sunday also announced that it would not join the Narendra Modi-led council of ministers at the Centre.
"If needed, the Congress MLAs may sit together once again on Tuesday," State Congress spokesperson Rajesh Rathorre told TOI.
