After Nitish’s move, discontent brews in JD(U)

Srinand Jha srinandjha@hindustantimes.com n

A day after Bihar CM Nitish Kumar aligned forces again with BJP, rumblings broke out in JD(U), with a clutch of leaders gathering at senior party leader Sharad Yadav’s residence to discuss possibilities of an alternative course of action.

JD (U) leaders aggrieved with Nitish’s decision attempted to persuade Yadav to take the lead to oppose the “several unilateral decisions” Nitish had taken without taking the party into confidence, sources said.

“Sections of party leaders are unhappy with Kumar’s decision. My individual view is that a decision to align with BJP violates the mandate of the 2015 assembly elections to keep the BJP out of power in the state,” party MP Ali Anwar Ansari told HT.

Virendra Kumar, the lone party MP from Kerala, was also present, apart from party general secretaries Arun Srivastava and Javed Raza. Yadav is understood to have told the leaders that he would speak to state party presidents and other workers over the next few days before firming up his plans.

A group of JD (U) MLAs - particularly those belonging to the bordering ‘Kosi’ belt – are also said to be upset with Nitish’s decision to switch camps. These legislators include Virendra Yadav, said to be among the hopefuls for a ministerial post in the Bihar government.