Journalism of Courage
Amid indications that the National Democratic Alliance in Bihar is on the verge of a collapse, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) and the Opposition RJD have been holding separate meetings of their MLAs on Tuesday. Almost all MLAs from both parties are present at the meetings.
Sources at the CM House said that Nitish Kumar has sought time from Bihar Governor Phagu Chauhan at 1 pm to apprise him of the current situation. JD(U) sources said Nitish Kumar would not resign. Instead, they added, he would either sack BJP ministers or ask them to resign from his ministry and later prove his majority on the floor of the House. Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav is likely to accompany Nitish to the Raj Bhavan.
RJD MLAs and JD(U) are likely to authorise Nitish and Tejashwi to take decisions. While Nitish has to take a call on snapping ties with the BJP, Tejashwi might decide on supporting Nitish on the floor of the House at a later stage. In June 2013, when Nitish had snapped ties with BJP, he had not resigned, and RJD and Congress had later supported him on the floor of the House.
An RJD source said that the next 48 hours are crucial and hinted that the party might go with Nitish as chief minister and wait for the right time for Tejashwi to succeed Nitish.
The BJP, meanwhile, seems to have given up on Nitish Kumar now. Though the party wanted Deputy Chief Minister Tarkishore Prasad and Legislative Council chairman Awadhesh Singh to talk to Nitish Kumar, they decided against it later.
