17 JD-U MLAs in touch, says RJD; JD-U denies claim

Patna: The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Wednesday claimed that 17 MLAs of the ruling JD-U were in touch with them to topple the Nitish Kumar government and to join the opposition party in Bihar. The Janata Dal-United, however, strongly denied the RJD claim.

Addressing the media, RJD leader Shyam Rajak said: "Many JD-U MLAs are upset with the BJP's style of functioning. The JD-U MLAs are upset over the manner in which the BJP is dominating the ruling alliance and taking swift decisions. The JD-U leaders do not want to allow the BJP to dominate their party; so, 17 MLAs of their MLAs are in constant touch with the RJD."

A former Minister, Razak claimed that the RJD would induct only those MLAs who are staunch supporters of socialism and secularism.

However, JD-U spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan strongly denied any such thing, retorting that the RJD should instead worry about keeping its won unity intact.

During the Bihar Assembly elections held in November, the National Democratic Alliance won 125 seats while the opposition Grand Alliance led by the RJD managed to get 110 seats.

As BJP and JD-U leaders in Bihar maintained that all was well between the two National Democratic Alliance allies, six of the seven JD-U MLAs in Arunachal Pradesh had recently joined the BJP.