Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said he didn't have any information that Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and his Janata Dal (United) were breaking away from the INDIA bloc of the Opposition.
In what could be seen as the first reaction to political uncertainty in Bihar, Mallikarjun Kharge, who is in Karnataka's Kalaburagi, said, “I don't have any information on the JD-U moving out of the INDIA bloc. What they have in mind is not clear. I am travelling to Dehradun tomorrow, and then to Delhi. I will get the full information and then I will brief you.”
Kharge told reporters that the grand alliance's effort is to unite everyone. "I have spoken with Mamata Banerjee, Lalu Prasad Yadav, and Sitaram Yechury. If we unite, we will give a good fight, and the INDIA bloc will be a success. Those who are interested in saving democracy will not change their minds and will stay with us," the Congress chief said. Follow Live Updates on Bihar crisis
Kharge's response comes amid strong indications that Nitish Kumar was planning to quit the ruling 'Mahagathbandhan' and return to the BJP-led NDA, his old ally.
Kharge called Nitish Kumar but he is busy: Jairam Ramesh
{{/usCountry}}Kharge's response comes amid strong indications that Nitish Kumar was planning to quit the ruling 'Mahagathbandhan' and return to the BJP-led NDA, his old ally.
Kharge called Nitish Kumar but he is busy: Jairam Ramesh
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, addressing a press conference, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said Kharge was trying to speak with Nitish Kumar, but he was unable to connect.
"...I can formally say that Kharge tried to talk to Nitish Kumar not just once, but several times. However, the Bihar CM is busy...," Ramesh said.
Ramesh said he was hopeful that Mamata Banerjee and Nitish Kumar, being co-architects of the INDIA bloc, will continue to be part of alliance.
"We may have problems at the state level, but this alliance (INDIA) has been put together. One of the architects of this alliance is the Bihar chief minister. One of the co-architects of this alliance is the West Bengal chief minister. So they know that this is a national alliance. This is not an alliance in which local issues will take precedence over national issues. National issues will get priority. Our national objective will get priority," the Congress MP said.
Meetings of JD(U), RJD and BJP leaders
In Patna, top leaders of the JD(U) on Saturday rushed to the residence of Nitish Kumar for a meeting. Leaders like former national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh, 'Lalan', minister and national general secretary Sanjay Kumar Jha and state legislative council chairman Devesh Chandra Thakur reached 1, Anney Marg, the CM’s official residence here, around the same time when a meeting of legislators of the RJD, the JD(U)’s current ally, was underway.
The meeting of RJD legislators was going on at party president Lalu Prasad’s residence.
A meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party legislators and Parliamentarians in the state is also scheduled at the party office later in the day though leaders have so far maintained that it has been called to discuss upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Nitish Kumar has so far maintained a deafening silence over the political turmoil. There are strong rumours that he may resign and form a new government, armed with the BJP’s support.
On Saturday, Nitish Kumar visited Buxar district, bordering Uttar Pradesh, to attend a function where senior BJP leader and Union minister Ashwani Kumar Choubey was also present.
Notably, the project was undertaken by the state tourism department, a portfolio held by deputy chief minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, who skipped the function.
No other RJD leaders were present there on the occasion. Tejashwi Yadav did not attend the high tea ceremony at the Raj Bhavan in Patna on Friday on the occasion of Republic Day.
(With inputs from agencies)