Highlights
- Bihar CM Nitish Kumar has called a meeting of all party MPs and MLAs on Tuesday.
- The meeting comes amid talks of a possible split between JD(U) and BJP in Bihar.
- Also, Bihar Congress MLAs have also been asked to reach Patna by today evening.
Bihar JD(U)-BJP alliance: Amid talks of a possible split between Janata Dal (United) and the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has called a meeting of all party MPs and MLAs on Tuesday at 11 am. Also, Bihar Congress MLAs have also been asked to reach Patna by today evening. "In view of the current political situation, we have asked all the MLAs to reach Patna by this evening," said Congress leader Ajit Sharma. The Congress party meeting could take place between 5 to 6 pm today.
Speculations are being made about political upheaval in Bihar, and a possible split among JD(U) and BJP. This makes the coming two days important, as Nitish Kumar may walk out of the alliance by accusing party leader RCP Singh of conspiring against JDU with the help of the BJP. Singh recently resigned from JD(U) on Saturday, after which leader Lalan Singh accused him of serving as a tool to damage the party’s prospects.
"Demand for two ministerial berths rejected by BJP"
JD-U leader Vijay Kumar Chaudhary on Saturday said JD(U) had decided not to join the Narendra Modi government at the Centre after its demand for two ministerial berths was rejected by the BJP.
"We are not going to join the Narendra Modi cabinet. The JD-U needed the desired respect from the BJP but it did not happen. Hence we have decided to avoid inclusion in the Narendra Modi government." However, he added that this decision "will not affect our alliance with BJP in Bihar".
Besides the JD-U, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) also called for a similar meeting on August 9. The meeting will be held at the official residence of party chief Jitan Ram Manjhi in Patna.
Nitish Kumar skips Niti Aayog's meeting
Nitish Kumar on Sunday skipped the crucial seventh governing council meeting of NITI Aayog. The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi and chief ministers of all states were invited. Sources say Nitish Kumar skipped the meeting as he recently recovered from a Covid infection. Of late, the gap between BJP and JD(U) seems to be widening. Sources say Nitish Kumar is not happy with the BJP's Prawas programme in 200 Assembly constituencies of Bihar.
