BJP summons senior Bihar leaders to Delhi

Patna, Aug 8 (IANS) Amid political rumbling in Bihar, the BJP's central leadership has called the top leaders in Delhi to assess the situation and formulate the plan of action.

BJP leaders like Ravi Shankar Prasad, Shahnawaz Hussain, Nitin Navin, Satish Chandra Dubey are on the way to Delhi.

The development comes in wake of other political parties of the state including the ruling Janata Dal-United, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Congress, HAM and left parties calling separate meetings on Tuesday.

JD-U national President Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh confirms that his party has called all MLAs, MLCs and MPs to be present in the meeting on Tuesday. Through, he said that a meeting was called to discuss the future course of action after the situation arises due to the exit of R.C.P. Singh.

However, the reason does not seem to be very strong given other political parties are doing the same exercise in Patna on Tuesday.

The BJP, however, said that there was nothing untoward.

Its state unit chief Sanjay Jaiswal said: "Every party holds meetings of its legislators and there was nothing unusual in it. We did the same on July 31. At present, the NDA government is running smoothly under the leadership of Nitish Kumar in Bihar."

State JD-U President Umesh Kushawaha also said: "The government is running smoothly under the leadership of Nitish Kumar in Bihar. We have no difference with BJP at the moment."

This, however, seems to be having a resonance with the situation to 2017 when JD-U leaders were claiming that all is well with the Mahagathbandhan (with the RJD and the Congress), till the very last moment. Then Nitish Kumar went to Raj Bhawan and gave his resignation as the Chief Minister of Bihar. He also recommended that the Governor dissolve the Assembly. However this time, the situation has changed and Nitish Kumar would recommend to the Governor to sack particular ministers from his cabinet.

A JD-U insider believes that there are so many reasons for souring the relationship between his party and the BJP. One of the reasons is the statement of BJP chief J.P. Nadda who said on July 31 that he wants to wipe out every regional party from the country. His target was the RJD, JD-U, the Trinamool Congress, the Samajwadi Party, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray group), the Shiromani Akali Dal, Dusyant Chautala's party JJP etc. That may have triggered the JD-U to consider snapping the alliance with the BJP. Also the BJP's 'Prawas' programme in 200 Assembly constituencies was seen as a threat to the JD-U.