BJP cries horse trading in Bihar, Lalu watches

The Opposition BJP in Bihar, exulting after its massive victory in the Lok Sabha polls in the state, on Sunday asked governor D. Y. Patil to prevent possible horse trading by the ruling JD( U) in its desperate efforts to shore up support for its minority government after CM Nitish Kumar’s resignation.

“Since the ruling JD( U) lacks a majority to form a government, there is high possibility of horse trading due to rising rebellion in the party after its humiliating loss in the Lok Sabha polls. We urged the governor to hold a parade of all MLAs pledging support

● The BJP has asked governor D. Y. Patil to prevent possible horsetrading by the JD( U) in its efforts to shore up support for its minority government

to the government and take written support letters from all parties pledging support to the government,” said senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi after submitting the BJP’s memorandum to the governor.

In a apparently calculated strategy to inflict more pain on the shaky JD( U) government led by Mr Kumar, the BJP neither displayed any willingness to form an alternative government nor demanded the dissolution of the Assembly, whose term expires in November 2015.

Even as the JD( U) reportedly began an initiative to tie up with the RJD to allow a smooth sailing to the state government, Mr Yadav himself scotched all such possibility.

He described reports in a section of the media about talks held between him and JD( U) national president Sharad Yadav for a tie- up as “baseless and concocted”. He said he was watching the political flux in Bihar in the wake of the LS poll results.