File photo of Janata Dal (United) chief Sharad Yadav
Patna:
Janata Dal (United) chief Sharad Yadav today held talks with the Congress leadership which is understood to have assured him of support in new government formation in Bihar, following the resignation by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. ('Will Elect a New Leader', Says JD(U) Chief After Nitish Resigns)
In the 243-member Bihar Assembly, the JD(U) has 115 members and it has received support from the Congress, which has four members.
Sources in JD(U) said that they have been assured of support from Congress as the JD(U) legislature party meets today to elect its leader after Mr Kumar quit, taking moral responsibility for the party's Lok Sabha poll debacle.
Congress general secretary Shakeel Ahmed, who is a senior leader from Bihar, said Congress has been supporting the JD(U) government from outside and there was no reason to discontinue it.
"We have extended support to the Nitish Kumar government to check communal forces. I personally see no reason to withdraw support," he said.
The BJP has 89 seats in the Assembly and the Rashtriya Janata Dal has 21 seats. The JD(U) also has the support of one CPI MLA and two Independents. There are six vacancies in the House.
Nitish Kumar yesterday resigned along with his council of ministers, but did not seek dissolution of the Assembly, injecting a dramatic turn in state politics.
"The Lok Sabha election results have not been good for the JD(U). The people's mandate has to be respected. So, I have tendered the resignation of my council of ministers. I had led the campaign. So, it is my duty to take moral responsibility and I must take," Mr Kumar had told reporters after resigning.
The tenure of the present government was till November 2015.
Yadav had said a new government will be formed in Bihar by JD(U).
In the 243-member Bihar Assembly, the JD(U) has 115 members and it has received support from the Congress, which has four members.
Sources in JD(U) said that they have been assured of support from Congress as the JD(U) legislature party meets today to elect its leader after Mr Kumar quit, taking moral responsibility for the party's Lok Sabha poll debacle.
Congress general secretary Shakeel Ahmed, who is a senior leader from Bihar, said Congress has been supporting the JD(U) government from outside and there was no reason to discontinue it.
"We have extended support to the Nitish Kumar government to check communal forces. I personally see no reason to withdraw support," he said.
The BJP has 89 seats in the Assembly and the Rashtriya Janata Dal has 21 seats. The JD(U) also has the support of one CPI MLA and two Independents. There are six vacancies in the House.
Nitish Kumar yesterday resigned along with his council of ministers, but did not seek dissolution of the Assembly, injecting a dramatic turn in state politics.
"The Lok Sabha election results have not been good for the JD(U). The people's mandate has to be respected. So, I have tendered the resignation of my council of ministers. I had led the campaign. So, it is my duty to take moral responsibility and I must take," Mr Kumar had told reporters after resigning.
The tenure of the present government was till November 2015.
Yadav had said a new government will be formed in Bihar by JD(U).
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