Grappling with a crisis within, the Janata Dal United or JD(U) today accused the BJP of plotting a split in the party - a charge denied by the party, which said the entire crisis was triggered by former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's "obsession" for power.
JD(U) spokesperson KC Tyagi suggested that Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi was working at the BJP's behest and said he had no right to attend the NITI Aayog meeting in Delhi today as he no longer enjoyed the confidence of the majority of legislators after JD(U) lawmakers elected Nitish Kumar as their new leader in Patna yesterday.
"If the need arises, we will parade 130 MLAs before the governor or even the President," he told PTI.
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The BJP hit back at JD(U) over its allegations, saying the entire crisis was triggered by Mr Kumar. "This crisis has arisen because of Nitish Kumar and his obsession for power. It's an internal row brewing within the JD(U). ...They are now putting the blame on us as they are unable to handle their own crisis," party spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.
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"However he made Jitan Manjhi, a Mahadalit, the Chief Minister after JD(U)'s poor show in the (Lok Sabha) polls but now he wants to be the Chief Minister once again," Mr Hussain said, adding the BJP as Bihar's main opposition party was keeping a close watch on the developments in the state.
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