New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram/Mumbai: The decision of Nitish Kumar to sever ties with RJD and break the grand alliance is Bihar has not gone down well with several state units.
At the national level, a miffed Sharad Yadav, senior JD(U) leader, rushed to meet Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi to discuss the “Nitish betrayal” and “the road ahead”.
While Mr Yadav met Mr Gandhi in the morning, Union finance minister Mr Arun Jaitley met him at the Parliament and is expected to visit him later on Thursday night.
The BJP intends to keep all the senior JD(U) Yadav leaders “away from Lalu Yadav”, sources said. Speculation is rife that the BJP could offer him a ministerial berth in the Union Cabinet or an equally “important or coveted post”.
Mr Yadav, who has been against Mr Kumar joining hands with the BJP held a meeting with two party MPs — Anwar Ali and Veerendra Kumar.
Making it clear that he was against the move, Mr Ali said; “Nitish Kumar heard the voice of his conscience before taking the decision. However, my conscience does not allow me to support it.”
Mr Veerendra Kumar had already already indicated that he would quit JD(U). It is believed that he could join hands with the LDF in Kerala.
The JD(U) in Kerala has decided to sever its ties with the national party following the developments on Wednesday. The state unit may form a separate party by reviving the previous Socialist Janata Democratic.
JD(U) chairman M.P. Veerendra Kumar has demanded that the two JD(U) MPs should disown Mr Nitish Kumar and asked party president Sharad Yadav to oust Mr Kumar from the party.
“The future course of action will be decided by the state council. We cannot join with fascist and communal organisations just for a Rajya Sabha seat,” Mr Veerendra Kumar said in New Delhi.
Similarly, JD(U)’s Maharashtra unit too questioned the move. “Your decision to join hands with communal forces has shocked us. We cannot support it,” said a resolution passed by core committee of Maharashtra JDU. Party state chief Kapil Patil informed this after chairing urgent meeting of core committee of state unit.
Maharashtra state unit of JD(U) convened an urgent meeting in Mumbai on Thursday. This unit was formed recently in the month of April, when MLC Kapil Patil along with his socialist colleagues from all over the state joined the party. But it is now feeling ‘disturbed and shocked’ after Mr Nitish goes with BJP.
